Never Let Me Go
by Atramea
Summary: Hanna and Caleb, two years after their last goodbye in Ravenswood, when they left each other even if they knew they were still in love, for a destiny's joke meet again at the NYU. So many things have changed, but their feelings seem to be the same as once. What will be their reactions when they will meet again? [HALEB multichap - Mentions of alcoholic and eating disorders]
1. Chapter 1

**_"Car is parked, bags are packed, but what kind of heart doesn't look back at the comfortable glow from the porch, the one I will still call 'yours'?"_**

**_[Breathe Again - Sara Bareilles]_**

**_Prologue_**

It was a year since all got fixed in Ravenswood. Since Caleb had stopped the curse and all its consequent stuff. And it was two years since Caleb and Hanna had seen each other the last time, in Ravenswood. Giving each other that heartbreaking goodbye, letting themselves go conscious that they love each other like the first day. Caleb had fixed the things, he could have come back to Rosewood to Hanna. But he hadn't done it. He hadn't done it because he was scared of disconcert her life. When he had been able to stop the curse, Hanna was surely already graduated and Caleb was sure that she was choosing the college. He didn't want to hinder her future.

_"She might rebuilded her own life, she found her stability." _He thought.

_"It's not fair for me to reappear after all this time like nothing happened."_

_"Who am I to have made a girl so beautiful and sweet waiting?"_

_"Who am I to disconcert her life?"_

_"She's planning her future, and I'm too late to be part of it."_

All these thoughts were running through his head, but he was still unsure of what to do. Because he still loved her, and he wished with all his life a future with her. Because they parted without wanting to. Because their love deserved a second chance.

And because he missed her.

He missed her dearly. He missed her physically; to touch her, hold her, kiss her, caress her, he missed her scent, her smile, her eyes, her voice...

And he missed her in a psychologically way, too. He missed everything that Hanna was able to give him everyday: the safety, the support, the backing, the love...

That love so pure, unconditional, that had always been able to defeat anything. And Caleb felt terrible thinking that he had to stop all of this. But he had been forced to, and if he could have come back in the past, he would have still made the same choice a thousand times to save Hanna.

He had renounced to the best thing he had ever had to save the best thing he had ever had.

And that since two years, he hadn't anymore.

He hadn't seen her or heard from her for two years now, and he felt awfully alone, apathetic; he basically went back to be the guy he used to be before meeting Hanna.

With all his doubt if it was better to find her or disappear from her life for good, Caleb had tried to contact Hanna on the phone, but she had never picked up. On the other hand, Hanna had never been used to keep the same phone number for a long time, and he knew it. He was too late also to call her. He hadn't been brave enough to knock on her door in Rosewood, this time. He had been afraid not to be appreciated. He had been afraid of hurt her, again, after all that time. And he couldn't know how he would have reacted seeing her again. All of this was scaring him, that's the truth.

So, Caleb had given up. But he had said to himself that if one day destiny would have reconnected to each other, he would have gone through everything. But slipping back like this in Hanna's life, going out and going in again like he wants for the nth time, no. It would have seemed coward. He had left her and then come back too many times, and he didn't want to make her suffering anymore. He didn't meant to play with her. He never meant to do it, but the impression that his past actions gave, was portraying him like a perfect bastard towards Hanna. If destiny would have wanted to, then he would have been ready for her, if not, he wouldn't have searched for her anymore and he would have let her go.

Because he loved her with all his life and he didn't want to hurt her. Anymore. It already happened too many times.

So, upon Ravenswood's cursed puzzles have been solved, Caleb had moved to Montecito, to his mother, and there he had found a kind of distraction for all his torments. He had become a kind of trainee in a computer company. He had been able to graduate in Ravenswood with so many problems, then, not wanting to go to any college, he had made a job interview with the add of a test to get that work. And he had got it. On the other hand, he had always been a computer's genius. He was earning very well, and he was always praised by the boss. He was so good that one day he got a huge opportunity.

After a year of brilliant work, he was convened in his boss' office. Caleb came in, held the hand of the boss and was invited to have a sit.

"Well, Rivers. I have to make you a very important offer." the man started.

"Tell me everything."

"Well, it's just a year that you've been working for us, but we have to say that you always did it very well. I'm going to the point, there's no more to say. So, the company organizes a stage in New York, with the professor Norton. For the whole semester, the professor is giving some informatics lessons to the NYU, and we thought that you, mr Rivers, would be suited to go with him like his assistant. What do you think about it? Obviously, you will earn a lot, more of how much you're earning now."

Caleb couldn't help but smile at those words. That was the opportunity of his life. A stage to the NYU.

"Mr Rivers, you have to let me know if you accept or not, like, tomorrow, because if you don't, we have to contact another worker." the boss continued.

"I can already say that I accept. I don't need to think about it." Caleb said, sure.

"Are you sure?"

"At 100%. Thank you for trusting me."

"Fine, I'm glad. You will have a room paid by our company in the college for the whole semester. You're leaving on Monday. If you need some info on the schedule or anything else, you can contact the professor Norton." the boss said, giving a note to Caleb.

The guy took it, smiling. He said goodbye to the boss happy, knowing that would have been a great opportunity to secede from that static point of his life. That stage might would have taken him focused enough not to make him torturing with Hanna's memories, anymore.

But that was impossible, and he knew it.

* * *

Hanna had left Rosewood just after her graduation. She had moved to New York with her mother, who had finally found a good job there. And she had started her fashion studies at the NYU.

-A was arrested the graduation's day in Rosewood. It was Ezra Fitz. Since that day, Hanna, Aria, Emily and Spencer had finally been free to live a normal life, even though for Aria had been three times more difficult to go on.

Aria and Spencer were studying together at the UPenn, Emily at Stanford, and Hanna at the NYU. But they got in touch everyday, by phone, or by Skype, or whatever else. And as soon as they had the opportunity, they reunited, at the Brew or at the Apple Rose Grill in Rosewood, sometimes.

Hanna hadn't seen Caleb or heard from him for two years now. Caleb had been her point or reference with her mom. She had always needed him, even before meeting him, and from the moment she had found him, she had always fought hard to keep him with her. But, at the end, she had lost him, for good. And, for a certain period, she had drowned again in the chasm. Yeah, again, because she had gone back to make her divouring from the insecurities just like once, and just like once, she had gone back to be bulimic. She ate everything at every hour of the day, she guzzled until she couldn't breathe anymore. She neither put her make up on, she barely got out of her house, she seemed apathetic too. The pain caused by the lack of the guy she loved with all her life, had made her do all these things. Saying that she had suffered was an understatement.

But luckily, she had been able to defeat the bulimia for the second time. Thanks to her best friends whereby she shared more pain than joy, and thanks to the closure of a kind and open-hearted guy like Dave. She had met him at the therapist, the same for both, in New York, a bit before starting the college. He was there to complete his detoxification process from the alcohol, while Hanna was there to complete hers from the bulimia. And Hanna had wanted to believe that was possible to find her love in that guy. They were dating, Dave was attending the NYU too, but Hanna didn't felt like she was in love with him yet.

Caleb was still nailed to her heart, that had been bleeding for a very long time. And that nail could have been removed only by the person who had put it: Caleb. Because the thought that they still loved each other but that they couldn't be together, was killing her. Maybe just because of Caleb that heart would have stopped bleeding, because he had been the one who made it start.

And Hanna, in her subconscious, was still waiting for him to come back in her life, she might would have done it for eternity, might hopeless. Even if New York and her new life were cutting all the bounds with her not-easy past.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, guys! Here I am once again with another long multichap Haleb :) I repeat, English is not my first language and I'm really sorry for the mistakes (I suck with the past tences)! I wrote and published this story in my language, Italian, on an Italian FF site, and now I'm trying to translate it to share it with you too (if anyone is interested in reading this in Italian too, PM me!) :) Anyway, I'll continue "The Healer" too :) Oh, in this story Ezra is -A (sorry 'bout that) and he has been arrested, and Caleb and Hanna had seen each other for the last time in the 1x10 of Ravenswood (Yes, I watched that show, but only for Haleb u.u). And I'll make references to things happened in the first four seasons. This was just a prologue, and... This story is a future fic, I think you all understood that :) Well, I can't promise anything about the uploading time, because it takes so long to me to translate from Italian to English, but I can promise that you'll have all the chapters as soon as I can. I hope you guys like it, I really care about this fic, I wrote it with all my heart :) See you soon guys, and stay tuned on "The Healer" too! xx -Atramea.**


	2. Chapter 2

**_"I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over."_**

**_[Someone Like You - Adele]_**

That morning started the second semester. Hanna was walking through the NYU's hallways with Brit, her college roommate, whereby she regularly attended all the fashion and design classes. Brit was exuberant just like Hanna, and they had always been fine together, even from the first moment.

"We have the first informatics class now!" Brit announced.

"Why the hell is informatics useful to a person who wants to work in the fashion's world?" Hanna snorted, while both of them were going to the classroom shown on the college's scoreboard.

"Because it might teaches you how to draw the sketches, for example!" Brit said, giving Hanna a playful nudge.

"I've never understood anything about computers..."

"Me neither, honey, but maybe this is the right chance to change things!" Brit concluded, while both of them were already in the classroom and they were taking seats.

The teacher wasn't arrived yet, so Brit started her typical exploration through the male subjects present in the classroom, making various appreciations, while Hanna listened with fun. After a few minutes, Hanna bent down to take her notebook, and in the meanwhile the informatics teacher entered, the professor Edmond Norton, with his young assistant.

"Hanna, the informatics classes seem to be more interesting than we expected!" Brit teased.

"Don't tell me that you've fallen for the professor..." Hanna replied, chuckling, still with the sight down on her bag.

"Oh no, not the professor... I've just had a thunderbolt with his assistant!" Brit specify, sighing dreamy.

Hanna shook her head, laughing, then she lifted and looked in front of her.

Maybe the assistant was really handsome.

Oh, yeah, he definitely was.

Hanna's heart lost a few beats at the view she had in that moment.

Caleb.

Caleb Rivers.

Her Caleb.

Shorter hair, moustaches, suit, a more mature and professional look, almost elegant.

But he was still so handsome.

It wasn't possible that was him, no.

Hanna was in New York, her life was changed, Caleb was her past.

But he was there, Hanna would have recognized him even if he was standing by his back. She could have swore it was him, even though it seemed impossible to her.

He might knew she was there. He might had knocked on her door in Rosewood and the new tenants had said to him that she and her mother had moved to New York. He might had come to found her, even if he wasn't allowed to search for her again. Not after how much things went complicated. Not after that heartbreaking goodbye.

Hanna felt a huge confusion in her head. For some things, seeing him again was the last thing she would have asked for, but on the other hand, instead, she felt a big joy to have found him in front of her so suddenly.

"You've had a thunderbolt, too? I'm sorry but I have to remind you that you're taken... Instead, I'm not!" Brit mumbled, seeing Hanna paralyzed at the view of that young assistant.

And Hanna thought that it was like Brit said. She was taken. She had Dave, and Caleb was just an ended chapter of her past, which it wasn't fair to reopen.

"Earth to Hanna! Hey! It seems like you've just seen a ghost!" Brit called.

Oh no, let the ghosts away.

Hanna didn't reply, and she put her sight on her notebook, absent-mindedly. She didn't know if she was hoping that Caleb would have seen her or not. She didn't know how to act if he would have noticed her, because maybe he actually didn't know she was there. It might was just fate, a destiny's joke. It might had to go like that, their ways had to cross each other again.

Being an assistant, he might would have staied to give lessons with the professor Norton for the whole semester, and the guys who attended the informatics lessons weren't so many, so it was quite possible that he would have noticed her, sooner or later. And Hanna didn't know if this made her happy or not. Actually, she was afraid. She wasn't ready to face a situation like that. She wasn't ready to face Caleb. She might would have never been.

"Hi, my name is Edmond Norton and I'll be your informatics teacher for this semester. He's my assistant Caleb Rivers, he will be available to help you with the work anytime."

The professor kept talking for an undefinied time, but Hanna stopped listening until that moment, also ignoring Brit's comments. She focused on Caleb. She watched his every single absent-minded gesture, each of his expressions. She isolated herself from all the rest, entirely devoting herself to look at him either just moving his head or hands, his every minimum movement was carefully studied by Hanna's eyes. And, without noticing it, she was trembling.

"Hanna, are you okay?" Brit asked, seriously displaced by Hanna's totally absent act, who hadn't said a single word from the moment she had seen Norton and his assistant.

"I'm okay." Hanna whispered in reply, without moving her gaze from where she had it.

"Why are you trembling?" Brit asked, grabbing her hand.

"It's all okay, Brit, really."

Hanna had always had uncontrolled reactions when she was agitated, and that was definitely one of those moments. She thought about getting out of the classroom to come back to reality, but she immediately cut off the idea, thinking that in this way she could have been noticed by Caleb. But then, it was Brit to make things happen. She lifted her hand, and Norton noticed her.

"Yes, miss?" he said, allowing her to talk.

"What books do we have to buy for this course?" she asked, without esitation.

Then, also Caleb looked towards that direction. And Hanna was exactly next to Brit.

She would have wanted to disappear in that moment, because she knew that in that moment, he would have noticed her.

And that was.

Caleb looked at Brit, but it was just for a moment, because he recognized an extremely familiar profile next to her, and immediately moved his sight to this profile.

Hanna.

Hanna Marin.

His Hanna.

And she was as beautiful as always.

And because of what destiny's joke he was finding her again miles and miles far from where they had found each other years before?

It wasn't possible, but it was happening.

She was definitely Hanna.

Caleb's heart arrived straight in his throat, and he paralyzed. The fate was reuniting them just like he had always hoped. And an inexpressible joy came in him, in his soul and body, that's why he completely blocked himself.

And when their eyes crossed each other, both of them felt a shiver run through their skin and penetrate in their bones.

They kept looking each other for an indefinite time, just like they were the only people in that big NYU's classroom. There were just the two of them, the rest of the world didn't exist. Paralyzed, the one full by the other's sight. And any of them dared to move it.

Until both of them let themselves bit the lower lip, just like they were used to do in the embarassment's moments, in the same exact moment, almost like the one depended from the other. And the fact that they did it at the same time, just triplicated the embarassment and the absurdness of that situation. Then, it was Hanna who moved her gaze away from Caleb. She bent her head down again to her notes and she stayed like that for the whole class, drowning in her doubts. Caleb, instead, kept looking at her, thinking that she was so beautiful that he felt dizziness. He sighed, completely unconscious of what Norton was chatting next to him. Caleb was away from there, and where he was, there was a view that was stealing him from anything else. He thanked godness because Norton didn't seem like he would have asked him to talk, because, in that situation, he was sure that he would have been able only to stutter.

Then, he moved his eyes away from Hanna just because he noticed a couple of sheets not far from him. He grabbed them, and he noticed that it was the list of the students enrolled to the course. Without esitation, he took then and gave them a look, while Norton kept talking. And, surprisingly, on those sheets there weren't only first and last name of each student, but also a lot of demographic and bureaucratic informations, like the college room's number. He couldn't help but reach the 'M' letter on the list and catch the line letterhead to Hanna Marin. '209'. It was all he needed to know.

* * *

Upon the class ended, Hanna literally escaped away, from the secondary exit, avoiding to cross the teaching post. Caleb noticed it. He knew she was avoiding him, but he didn't blame her.

He got her college room's number, but he would have never dared to go there. He found her again, but he didn't want to force her to talk to him if she didn't want to. Caleb didn't want to slip back in her life if she wasn't ready. He didn't want to disconcert her plans. Even if he wanted her back. He disperately wanted her.

He gave another couple of classes with Norton, where he spoke just twice because some curious student asked him about his young age, so he ended his first day of stage at the NYU.

* * *

He had lunch at the college's bar, searching with his gaze for Hanna, without success. He spent most of the time asking himself if the girl who had seen was really Hanna. But yes, it was her, he was sure of it. He had also read her name on the list. Hanna was just a step away from him, and he didn't have any idea of what to do. He had this insane desire to knock on her door, but he didn't want to bother her. She had avoided him, she probably didn't want to see him and he wouldn't have imposed himself, even though he would have done anything to see her away from those awkward classes.

Then, an idea came up to his mind.

* * *

**A/N: Here is the second chapter! Hanna and Caleb saw each other after two years ^^ I hope you all like it! What will be Caleb's idea? How Hanna will act with her boyfriend now that she knows that Caleb is so close to her? You'll find out in the next chapter! Thank you for the reviews :) xx -Atramea.**


	3. Chapter 3

**_"Would you tell me I was wrong? Would you help me understand? Are you looking down upon me? Are you proud of who I am? There's nothing I wouldn't do to have just one more chance to look into your eyes and see you're looking back."_**

**_[Hurt - Christina Aguilera]_**

Hanna spent the rest of the morning attending the other classes with Brit. She was upset and her friend noticed it, but she gave up asking what was wrong with her because Hanna kept answering it was nothing.

Hanna didn't know how she felt. She was completely stuck at the thought that Caleb was so close to her, and she didn't know how she would have managed to control that situation which seemed to be daily. She couldn't be able to do it. She couldn't be able to deal with those looks during the classes, pretending everything was normal. She couldn't be able to be indifferent in front of him. Because she wasn't uninterested to him, anything. Regardless of how much she was attached to Dave, she could never have been totally uninterested to Caleb. She would never have been over him. Never. And this thought was torturing her. Now that she had her life undercontrol, here all their securities were falling to the ground.

She would have gone out for lunch with Dave. And she didn't know if she would have been able to hide the inner storm that she was feeling inside. She had short time to make up some excuses to justify her possible weird act during the date, because Dave, punctual as very few people, came to pick her up outside the classroom.

"Hey!" he greeted, radiant.

Hanna just smiled, so Dave kissed her on the lips.

"Okay, lovebirds, I'm going to go eating something at the bar. Have fun! Hanna, I'm gonna wait for you in our room later... I remind you that we have to study art history!" Brit said, placing a hand on Hanna's shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'll be back on time. Have a good lunch!" she replied, forcing the nth smile.

"You too! Bye, Dave!" Brit concluded.

Dave gave her a wink, then he put an arm around Hanna's shoulders and he walked towards the college's exit.

* * *

Dave took Hanna to a restaurant not really far from the college, elegant. He didn't care about money, especially if it was for Hanna. He was so in love with her.

"You're really quite today..." he started, in the middle of their lunch.

Hanna was eating basically nothing, playing with her fork, with the gaze down and without saying absolutely anything.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm not feeling very well..." she replied shyly, blurting out the first excuse that ran throught her head.

"Do you want me to take you back to the college? Or maybe you wanna go home to your mother? Tell me what can I do for you, I don't like seeing you like this!" Dave replied.

"No, Dave, thanks. I'm gonna finish lunch and then I'm gonna go back to the college. You know, I have to study with Brit... We have an exam soon! I'll be fine, don't worry." Hanna reassured him.

"Fine. But try to eat something, okay?"

"Okay." Hanna said, forcing a smile.

She tried to eat at least the half of each dish, because she didn't want to make Dave worry.

Upon the lunch ended, Dave took Hanna back to the college with his car. He didn't live in the college residence, because he lived very close to it so he didn't need a room inside. He parked the car and he leaned in to kiss Hanna, but she didn't kiss back the way he was expecting.

"Hanna, what's up?" he then asked, sighing.

"It's all okay, don't worry." Hanna reassured him for the nth time, but trying to avoid his eyes.

Dave sighed again.

"Fine. I'm gonna call you later." he added, resigned.

"Okay, bye." Hanna said, getting out of the car and walking to the NYU's entry.

She spent the short time she took to reach her room to thinking about Caleb, like she actually did for her whole lunch and classes morning. She actually hadn't stopped even from the moment they broke up, but the fact that she had seen him again wasn't helping her to leave his memory, anything.

* * *

She put her keys in the door 209's lock and she walked in. Brit was sitting on her desk and she was using her laptop, of course not for study reasons but simply to hear some Pink's stuff on YouTube.

"Hey..." Hanna greeted, placing her keys on her nightstand and climbing on the bed.

"Hey, Han! You're early!" Brit replied, turning to face her.

"The lunch was shorter than I was expecting..."

"Oh, before I forget! When I came in here, I found that under the door..." Brit restarted, pointing at a note placed on Hanna's desk.

Hanna got up from the bed and took the note.

_Meet me at the coffee shop outside of here at 6 'o clock. Please. -C._

The blood in her veins froze upon read those words. And she perfectly recognized the handwriting.

"It's for you, there's your name on the back of the note..." Brit added, looking Hanna still staring at the note.

Hanna shook her head, placed the note where it was earlier, and she climbed again on her bed.

"So? You don't say anything?" Brit asked.

"What am I supposed to say?"

"Do you have any idea about who could be?"

"No and I don't mind."

"Hanna, I know you're with Dave, but if I were you, I'd be curious and I'd go though, just to see who's this mysterious lover!" Brit said, giggling.

"He might be an idiot, it doesn't matter." Hanna mumbled, burying her head in the pillow.

"So you don't care if I go, then? I mean, if he likes you, he will like me too! We're both blonde, and plus I'm single unlike you, and..."

"Stop it, Brit. No one of us will go to that stupid date. We have to study for the whole day, don't you remember?" Hanna interrupted her, annoyed.

Brit shrugged.

"Fine, sorry." she added, then she turned back and shut her MacBook down.

Hanna got up from the bed and grabbed the art history book, then she sat at her desk, exactly beside of Brit's.

"I'm sorry, Brit, I've overreacted. It's just that today..." Hanna started, but her friend interrupted her.

"I know, you're acting weird since the beginning of the day. When you feel ready to talk about it, I'm here, you know it."

Hanna gratefully grabbed her hand and smiled at her, then she opened the book and the pair started to study together.

* * *

Caleb was in his college room, staring at the clock which was ticking the seconds that divided him from 6 'o clock. He was sitting on his bed, nervously chewing his nails, and he tapped his foot on the floor without any pace. It was only 4 'o clock, dammit. He didn't even know why he chose 6 'o clock. Probably to give Hanna enough time to think of what to do. He was asking if she had received his note, what she thought about it, if she would have come, if she has instead ripped it and sent him to the hell. He was asking every damn thing, while he felt his lunch returning from his stomach, with a wave of anxious nausea he had never felt before.

Eager, he got out of the college at 5 'o clock and he walked to the coffee shop. He was an hour earlier, but he didn't care. He would have waited for Hanna even for years. He stood there, beside the traffic light that parted the sidewalk where it was the coffee shop to the one where it was the NYU. There, he also saw a big clock that showed the time. He leaned by the traffic light and waited for Hanna that way, saying to himself that if she wouldn't have come, he would have let her free to live her life without intrude in it anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Here is Caleb's idea :) what do you guys think..Will Hanna go to the date? And what do you think about this Dave guy? I'll wait for your reviews and thanks for those left so far :) I'll update as soon as I can ;) xx -Atramea.**


	4. Chapter 4

**_"How can I love when I'm afraid to fall? But watching you stand alone, all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow. One step closer... I have died everyday waiting for you, darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more."_**

**_[A Thousand Years - Christina Perri]_**

Hanna and Brit's study day kept going. It was 6:30 pm, and Hanna hadn't gone to the date with Caleb. She hadn't been enough brave to see him. She had buried herself in the pages of her art history book, trying to check her watch the less she could not to be tempted by that part of herself which wanted to run to Caleb, instead. She was asking herself how he could have been able to get her room's number, she was asking herself what he was hoping to get if she would have gone to the date. With her head bent on the eighth chapter of her book, she let herself go to all these doubts, while she was pretending to study. Brit was lying on the bed with her book, because she had said she was uncomfortable on the chair, and it was about ten minutes that she wasn't saying anything, neither about art history, nor about anything else.

Hanna turned around to ask her for the marker, and noticed that her friend was deeply sleeping. Brit was a lazy girl, even more than Hanna. Hanna couldn't help but smile, then she got up and placed a blanket on her friend's shoulders. She sighed and gave a shot to the watch. It was 6:45 pm, it was too late to go to the coffee shop. And plus, she didn't want to.

Or maybe she disperately wanted to?

Suddenly, Hanna realized that she had to go, she had to try. Yes, it was late, but that part of herself that wanted to go to the date, convinced every other Hanna's part that she had to try, anyway. Because she wanted to see him. Out of that damn college where he was just her informatics teacher's assistant. She needed to see him. He was Caleb, her Caleb. She sent everything to hell and she ran to the bathroom, paying attention not to wake Brit up. Hanna had to accurately do her make-up, perfectly get ready, put on the best of her dresses and run to that coffee shop to meet Caleb. She wanted to make herself pretty for him, just like once. Even if he would have liked her also if she would have gone there with a suit and without any make-up on.

* * *

At 7:20 pm, Hanna went out of her room, with a flawless make-up on, with some of her favorite scent on the neck, and with a hot white mini-dress and her typical heels on. She was always the same Hanna.

With the fear that it was too late, she went down the stairs and walked to the exit of the college. The sky was already dark and Hanna didn't know what to think. She walked to the end of the sidewalk, ready to cross the road, but the red traffic light blocked her. She took a deep breath while her gaze moved on, crossing through the cars speeding on the road, towards the other side of the street.

And there, she saw him.

Leaning by the traffic light of the opposite sidewalk, in front of the coffee shop, standing there, so handsome, there was Caleb.

Hanna was almost an hour and a half late, but he was there, waiting for her in front of that coffee shop.

Their gazes crossed. Caleb was incredulous. Hanna had eventually come. He knew well she had the bad habit of being late, he could easily think about all the time he has spent in Rosewood waiting for her in his car on so many Saturday nights. This time she had might overreacted with the late, but Caleb would have really waited for her even for the whole night. He couldn't hold back the spontaneous smile that rised on his face at the sight of Hanna.

And she was so beautiful.

A goddess, like she had always been.

Caleb wanted to hug her, God, he wanted to do it with every single cell of his body. Hanna, on the other side, didn't smile back, but she felt the same damn desire of hug him. That traffic light was red, and the time and space that parted her to him, seemed endless to her. But she wasn't looking at the traffic light, she was looking at him. She let penetrate herself by his gaze, while she felt her heart beating insanely fast.

The longest traffic light of their lives.

When it finally turned to green, Hanna didn't even notice it, completely distracted by Caleb. It was him that, without moving his gaze from Hanna, raised an arm to show her that the traffic light was now green. Only in that moment Hanna realized, and she crossed the street, running.

She ran, like it wasn't right to waste neither a second.

Until they weren't exactly the one in front of the other.

Hanna had ran towards him, impatient, but when she had reached him, she had felt herself blocked.

And neither Caleb knew what to do.

They stared in each other's eyes, intensely, as the wind blew through their hair. Caleb swallowed and motioned another smile. Then, Hanna took the courage to speak, she didn't even know how.

"You've waited for me for all this time?" she murmured.

Caleb just nodded, with his eyes focused on her wonderful face. And Hanna smiled at that mute answer.

In that moment, there were no more words needed. In a totally natural way, they held each other in a hug which they've both waited for an eternity.

Caleb held her with all the strength he got in his arms, smelling that good scent which he had missed until he felt it flowing in his veins, stroking that soft hair so well fixed. He placed his lips on Hanna's head shooting her a kiss full of excuses, regrets, but most of all, of love. Hanna held in her fists the material of Caleb's shirt and she let herself cradle by that warm embrace. Caleb was everything she had missed for too long.

That hug was a homecoming, for both of them.

They stayed tight in each other's arms for an undefinied time, like the clock of the world had stopped in the moment of their hug. Nevertheless, the people around them kept walking, the NY's cabs kept speeding, the wind kept blowing.

But the moment Hanna and Caleb shared was so eternal that excluded everything else around them.

When their bodies parted, spontaneously, Caleb nodded his head towards the entry of the coffee shop.

"Let me offer you a coffee." he added, half-smiling.

Hanna shyly nodded, wiping away the single tear streamed down her face before he could noticed it, and she followed him inside.

* * *

**A/N: Here you go, guys :) I'm not kidding here, this is definitely one of my favorite chapters of the whole story... I LOVE the traffic light scene! I hope you all agree with me! Hanna eventually went to Caleb, of course ;) I wanna thank everyone for the reviews! Oh, don't worry about Brit, she can do whatever she wants but she won't represent a problem between Hanna and Caleb, I promise :) And Dave... Well, he might be kinda a problem .-. (I agree with the guest who wrote the review saying he's a little TOO nice!) Anyway, next chapter will be so intense, you'll see Hanna and Caleb finally talking :) So, I hope you all enjoyed this sweet chapter (sorry if it was a bit short) and I'm looking forward to read your opinions! You guys are the best! And let me also say a special thanks to the guest who wrote the review in Italian... Really appreciated, lol ;) See you soon guys, and stay tuned on "The Healer" too! xx -Atramea.**


	5. Chapter 5

**_"Well, two years on and I'm still that same boy I was. No sleeping at night, but I'm going from bar to bar. Why can't we just rewind?"_**

**_[Rewind - Paolo Nutini]_**

"How are you?" Caleb murmured, upon he and Hanna were sitting at one of the coffee shop's tables.

"Fine." Hanna replied, with the gaze to the floor.

"You know, I've heard about Ezra. News have talked about it. I would have never pictured him behind all of that... Are you guys over that?" he asked, searching for Hanna's eyes.

She sighed, shrugging.

"More or less. Aria's still so upset..." she said.

"Cannot be blamed..." Caleb added.

Then, a waiter came to take the ordinations, and Caleb immediately spoke.

"A normal Americano for me, and a vanilla latte with a little bit of cream for the miss."

The waiter nodded and went away. Hanna stared at Caleb, surprisingly shocked.

"What?" Caleb asked, smiling.

God, he had such a smile. That smile as always. Hanna felt a lump in her stomach, but she returned in herself after a few moments of silence.

"What if I've changed my tastes?" she asked in reply, letting go a small smile as well.

"Oh, no, you haven't changed them!" he said, always with a smile plastered on his face.

Hanna blushed at Caleb's allusion, biting her lip and hiding herself behind a shy laugh. He was right, some things never change. Neither coffee tastes, nor other kinds of tastes.

"You knew I was studying there?" Hanna then asked, determined to clarify the situation.

"No. You didn't notice it with the face I made when I saw you in that classroom?" Caleb replied, raising his eyebrows.

Hanna bited her lip again.

"I thought you went searching for me in Rosewood..." she added.

"I didn't. Even if I wanted to, you don't know how much... To be honest, I was scared of your reaction, and plus... I didn't want to slip in your life that roughly, for the nth time. So I've tried to call you, but you've never answered, you might have changed your number. But it seems like... Fate wanted to make us found each other again." he replied, sure of himself.

"What about Ravenswood? And Miranda?" Hanna blurted out in reply.

"Everything has been fixed. She's gone, she did it. It's done, Hanna." he said, seriously.

Hanna nodded, putting down her gaze, perplexed.

"And how are you?" she then said, lifting her head towards Caleb.

He smiled.

"Fine." he simply said.

Hanna nodded again, a bit embarassed.

"How have you become the professor Norton's assistant?" she then asked.

"Oh, well... After I've taken the graduation in Ravenswood and fixed all that damn stuff, I moved to Montecito, to my mother."

"Really?" Hanna interrupted him, smiling.

Caleb smiled back, then he continued.

"Yeah. I wanted to start over. And, honestly, I didn't wanna go to college. So I searched for some job, and I found work in a computer company. I've worked there for a year, and technically I still work there. They offered me to take part to a stage with Norton here at the NYU for this semester, offering me a paid room inside the college as well. I didn't think about it for a second and I accepted. I think it's a big opportunity to me."

"It is." Hanna said, smiling.

"Tell me about you, instead." Caleb said.

Hanna sighed, then the waiter gave them the coffees.

"After graduation, I was sure about going to the Fashion Institute, but then my mother found a job here in New York and she immediately moved here. So, to stay near to her, I decided that I could have attended the NYU's fashion courses instead, which is one of the best in the USA though. And I did it, I got accepted. I took a room inside the college to be more comfortable, even if I visit my mother often, when I can. She doesn't live really far from here, but neither really close... Well, it wouldn't have been amazing going back and forth the college by cab to reach the district where my mother lives!"

"It wouldn't have been a Hanna Marin's thing." Caleb smiled, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah." Hanna simply replied, before hiding herself behind her paper glass, taking a sip of coffee as well.

Caleb put down his glass and looked at Hanna for a few seconds, before restarting to talk.

"I'm proud of you."

Hanna turned up her nose, raising her eyebrows.

"Proud?" she replied.

"Yeah. Of the way you managed your life, of the fact you got accepted to the NYU, of everything. I'm happy for you, I'm glad that things are going well to you."

Hanna nodded, playing with the straw of her glass.

"But it wasn't easy." she added, avoiding Caleb's eyes and biting her lip for the nth time.

"I can imagine." he replied, feeling all his guilt inside.

"I don't think so." she replied, glancing at him.

Caleb sighed and it was him the one who bited his lip, this time.

"I restarted to guzzle." Hanna confessed.

"What?" Caleb said, incredulous, feeling even worse with his consciousness.

"Yes, it's true. I made myself divouring by the insecurities when you..."

Hanna didn't go on, looking at a casual point in the space.

"I'm sorry, Hanna..." Caleb said, grabbing a hand of hers.

Hanna retired her hand from Caleb's slight grasp, dodge.

"I'm fine now." she specified.

Caleb sighed again, deeper this time.

"Sorry, I didn't want to make you feel guilty..." she then said, disturbed by Caleb's expression.

"It's definitely my fault, instead, Hanna. I apologize, even though I know that my apologizes are absolutely not enough in front of all you have been through because of me... I... I made mistakes... And I will never forgive myself for how much I've hurted you and... For having left you." Caleb said, shaking his head.

Hanna remained silent, lowering her eyes and keeping nervously playing with her straw through her fingers.

"Well, I also have good memories about you." she said then.

Caleb smiled.

"I'm glad." he added.

Hanna looked again at him, nodding.

"How is Ashley?" he said then.

"She's fine. You know, she isn't changed at all, she's always worrying about me." she replied

"Is she mad at me for having hurted you?"

Hanna shrugged, then replied.

"Well, you remember, she couldn't stand you at the beginning, but then she understood that you were really a nice guy and she had to change her mind about you... My mother knows well how much you made me happy, and she remember well how much you did to help her, too. She has loved you like a second son and the fact that you have also hurted me don't affect all of this."

Caleb smiled.

"I love her too, you know it." he added.

"Your folks, instead? How are they going?"

"They're fine. There's no need for me to tell you how much my father is in love with you, isn't there?"

Hanna laughed at that.

"And the girls? What college are they attending?" Caleb continued.

"Aria and Spencer are at the UPenn, and Emily is at Stanford. But we talked by Skype every night, and we meet when we can, even just for a few hours."

Caleb nodded and finished his coffee.

"How did you know my room's number?" Hanna asked then, temporaly forgotten about this little detail.

Caleb chuckled, wiping his lips with a napkin.

"Oh, well... Job's cheats." he added.

Hanna gave him a deadly glance, so he decided to answer for real.

"Okay, while I was beside Norton, I noticed the students' list of the course, and beside the names there were also other informations, like the room's numbers. I searched for your name, and... Goal."

Hanna shook her head, smiling.

"I thought that showing up at your room was a little too intense, for both of us." Caleb concluded, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Well, I think that you effectively would have taken a door slammed on your face." Hanna replied, taking the last sip of her coffee.

Caleb smiled and watched Hanna finishing her coffee.

"So... No more awkwardness at lesson?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"It's to avoid future awkwardnesses that you invited me for coffee?" Hanna asked back, with decision.

Caleb sighed deeply.

"You know it's not for this." he said.

Hanna remained silent looking at him, waiting for Caleb to say more. He signaled to the waiter to come to the table to pay the bill, and that was. He paid, then he got up and signaled to Hanna to come outside, and she followed him without say a word.

* * *

They sat on the bench near the entry of the coffee shop, and it was Caleb to restart talking.

"I invited you for coffee because... Because I miss you, Hanna. I miss you to death... I swore to myself that I wouldn't have meddled in your life anymore because I wouldn't have wanted to hurt you again, but I also swore to myself that if I had found you again, I wouldn't have allowed anything or anybody to part our ways anymore. Because between us it ended just because we've been unlucky, not because we wanted to. You and I broke up even if we were still in love, and... And it shouldn't have gone like this. It's not right. I still love you, Hanna. I've always loved you. I've never stopped, neither for a moment. And now we've found each other again, and I'm not gonna let this end badly again." he said without taking a breath, with trembling voice and eyes getting wetter, and without moving his gaze from Hanna neither for a second.

Hanna looked at him, while she felt her heart crumbling inside. She had goosebumps and she wasn't able to decipher what she was feeling inside. She swallowed and lifted her sight to the sky trying not to cry, but she failed.

"It's too late, Caleb..." she murmured, while some overpowering tears streamed down her cheeks.

Caleb shook his head and placed a hand on her leg.

"No, it's not too late, Hanna. Live through me and let me live through you. I know that it's not easy, and I don't claim everything straight, but... But it's worth a try. For us, it's worth it. After all we've been through..."

Hanna got up from the bench.

"Caleb, don't make this more difficult..." she whispered, walking away.

Caleb got up, took her by the arm and made her turn around to face him.

"Hey, I know that's not easy. I know. I know that it wasn't easy for you to drink a coffee sitting at a table with me, like some old friends. I know that it's passed a long time, but... If you came here tonight, knowing that I was here waiting for you... There's a reason." Caleb insisted.

"Yeah, well... I don't know why I came. Too many things have happened, Caleb. It's not the same anymore, you and I have changed, and... Maybe I made a mistake, maybe I gave you a wrong idea by accepting your invitation... I'm sorry, it's my fault." Hanna replied.

"It's nobody's fault, Hanna. And you're right, we've probably changed through these years, but... But what there's between us is not changed. Because I feel it, Hanna. I know that you too feel what I feel. And I also know that you're proud and you will never admit it, because you will have to admit it to yourself first, but... But I know that for you it's the same. I... I'll wait for you. Also for my whole life, if it's necessary."

Hanna bited her lip once again, shaking her head and sighing deeply.

"I... I have to go, now." she simply said.

"Sure." he nodded.

Hanna turned her heels and took some steps, then she suddenly came back to Caleb, who had remained there looking at her impotent, with the hands in his pockets.

"Listen... I want you to know that I liked seeing you again, though..." she shyly murmured, stamming on her words.

Caleb smiled at her, keeping his hands in the pockets. He refrained himself to move them away from there, because if he did it, it would have been to touch Hanna, and he didn't want to risk to importune her in anyway. Hanna remained a few instants staring at him, then she pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from her purse, while he was looking at her, confused. She wrote something and handed the note to Caleb, who instinctively grabbed it.

"I don't know why I'm doing this, but... Don't make me regret it." she added, before turning around and starting to walk towards the college.

Caleb looked at her, fuzzy, then he placed his gaze on the note. It was a mobile number. He smiled like an idiot.

"319!" he exclaimed then.

"What?" Hanna shouted, already far, turning around but without stopping herself from walking.

"My room. Don't make me regret it!" Caleb replied, smiling.

"Thanks for the coffee!" she concluded, before the traffic light turned to green and allowed her to leave Caleb alone with the note in his hands.

* * *

**A/N: Here is it :) What do you guys think of this "date"? And of the fact that Hanna hasn't told Caleb about Dave? Well, at least she gave him her number ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it... See you soon and leave a review, I'd love to read your opinions of course :) I'll update ASAP! xx -Atramea.**


	6. Chapter 6

**_"I know what I did and how, so I won't let this go, 'cause it's true, I am nothing without you."_**

**_[With Me - Sum 41]_**

"Hey!" Brit greeted, upon Hanna came back in their room.

"Hey, Brit..." Hanna greeted back, with not much excitement.

Yeah, not much. She didn't know what that coffee with Caleb caused in her. She felt so many emotions that she couldn't understand what she was really feeling. Furthermore, she didn't tell him how much things were changed. She didn't tell him she had a boyfriend now. She didn't tell him basically anything when he made it pretty clear that was still in love with her. She hadn't been able to be honest. Because she was perfectly aware of the fact she still loved him, but she felt like it was really too late to retry. It had passed two years and she had Dave now, and she didn't think it was right to leave him. She couldn't leave him. Not after how much that guy had helped her when she was in therapy, not after everything he had done for her. Hanna was deeply grateful to Dave. But that was gratitude, not love. Because her heart had always belonged only to Caleb.

"I fell asleep like an idiot, sorry..." Brit murmured.

"It doesn't matter, I was very tired too. I couldn't have kept studying though..."

"Where were you?"

"Oh, I was... I was with Dave." Hanna lied.

Brit nodded, then she got up from the chair and went to the bathroom. Hanna placed his mobile on the desk and she climbed on the bed, exhausted. Moments later, Brit got out from the bathroom and, in the process, Hanna's mobile rang. Brit read Dave's name on the display, so she handed the phone to Hanna.

"Wow, you guys parted five minutes ago and he's already calling you?" she added, smiling.

Hanna raised her eyebrows and took the call.

"Hello?"

"Hi, babe... Are you done with studying?"

"Uhm, yes." Hanna simply said, embarassed, trying to control her answers to make them fit with the version of her afternoon given to Brit, since the girl was right there in front of her.

"Do you feel better?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said you were not really good today at lunch..."

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, it was nothing. I'm fine."

"Okay, it's nice to know it. You made me worry..."

"I'm sorry, but don't worry, it was nothing really bad."

"Good. Babe, I'm sorry but I have to go now... See you at college tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Sure. Goodnight, see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight. I love you."

Hanna didn't answer and hung up.

"Hanna, I know I've already asked this, but... Is there something wrong?" Brit said, looking at Hanna, doubtful.

Hanna decided that she could have said what was going on, without telling her the whole story. She took a deep breath and she decided to tell, at least partly, what was the matter.

"I wasn't with Dave earlier. I saw again my ex-boyfriend."

"You mean the Rosewood one?"

Hanna had told Brit part of her story with Caleb, when they met. But she hadn't tell her the real reason which had brought him to Ravenswood, of course. And it was a long time that they hadn't talked about it. Because they talked about Dave, now. And it was passed enough time to make sure that Brit couldn't remember that this ex was called Caleb, just like Norton's assistant, whom Hanna had casually met that morning and she had been fossilized since then. But no, Brit couldn't be able to make all of these vague puzzle's pieces together.

"Yes, him." Hanna said, nodding.

"Did you cheat on Dave?"

"No, are you crazy? We just went for coffee together."

"The note under the door was his, wasn't it?"

Hanna nodded.

"What's his name? I don't remember..." Brit continued.

Hanna bited her lip. Saying 'Caleb' could have made some uncomfortable ideas come through Brit's head, she thought.

"Calvin." she replied, choosing the name which the penultimate Caleb's foster parents wrongly used, thing that obviously him has told her.

"And... Did you like seeing him again?"

Hanna wanted to be honest.

"To death, Brit. And I feel guilty with Dave, even if I didn't anything bad, but... But I feel like I miss him, and maybe is this that make me feel a bitch towards Dave, and..."

"Breathe, Hanna." Brit interrupted her.

Hanna lifted her eyes to the ceiling and sighed.

"Are you planning on see him again?" Brit asked then.

Hanna lowered her head. '_I have to see him everyday because he's one of my teacher's assistant!'_ she would have wanted to answer her.

"I don't know..." she said instead.

"But why did you guys meet? I mean, does he study here?"

"No, he... He's here in New York for work." Hanna quickly said, truthfully after all.

"How does he know you were here and most of all which was your room?"

God, Brit was just too curious. Hanna thought that she might wouldn't have told her anything. But, on the other hand, she loved her and considered her a good friend.

"He has a friend who studies there, I don't even know who is, and... This friend kinda gave him informations about me." she replied, mentally congratulating with herself for the originality of her excuse.

Brit nodded.

"You love him, don't you?" she added.

Dammit, was that so evident?

"I think I've never forgotten him. I'm confused..." Hanna replied, with a confession tone.

Brit moved towards Hanna and held her in a friendly hug.

"Don't worry and look inside yourself. Only you know what you really want. Think about it." she whispered.

"I can't do this to Dave, Brit..."

"You should understand if it's really worth it, Han."

Hanna bursted into tears into Brit's arms. She had a damn need to scoop out all of that inner storm through her tears. She thought about that coffee with Caleb, about their story, about the good moments, about the bad ones, about when they broke up, about how much pain she had had due to it, about when she had gone searching for him in Ravenswood, about everything. And then she thought about Dave, about how much he had been able to help her, about how sweet was with her. She didn't know what to do, what to think. But it was pretty clear to her that she was still in love with Caleb, even though this didn't seem right to her.

"Do you want me to take something to eat to the bar and bring it here to you?" Brit asked.

Hanna shook her head, so Brit hugged her again and Hanna continued silently crying in her arms.

* * *

Caleb ate something in that same coffee shop for dinner. He had watched Hanna slowly walk away towards the college, then he had come back to the coffee shop. He wasn't very hungry, infact he just took a sandwich. And while he was eating, he was having a thoughts indigestion. Seeing her again hadn't made anything but confirming to him that he was still madly in love with her. And the fact that she had come to the date, made him understand that for her there was still a bound with him, too. Hanna didn't tell him, she didn't tell him she was still in love with him. But Caleb didn't need words, for him it had been enough to see the light in her blue eyes. _That_ light. He knew her better than anyone else in the world. He knew that she was still feelling something for him, he had felt it in those few minutes spent with her. And he smiled thinking that Hanna, even though everything, had left him her number. And that was already a small step forward. Caleb would have won her back, at any cost. Because their love was worth any sacrifice.

* * *

It was almost 3 'o clock am, and Hanna was turning in her bed. She couldn't sleep. She had cried on Brit's shoulder until 11:30 pm, then she had calmed herself down. But it hadn't passed her fierce inner storm. She hadn't even taken part at the daily Skype group call with Spencer, Aria and Emily. She hadn't been able. She wasn't ready to tell them about Caleb, not because she didn't trust them, but just because the girls were really mad at him because he had broken Hanna's heart. And she couldn't even have told them the absurd story of Ravenswood, that effectively took off so many faults to him. So, she decided that, for the moment, she would have avoided the thing. Brit was sound asleep. Hanna was listening to the clicking of the room's clock with her eyes totally opened. The need of sleep wasn't coming. Then, her phone buzzed. It was very late, who could be? Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Caleb's name on the display. With all that crying, she had forgotten that she had left him her new number.

_**Caleb - 2:47 am;**__ Hey, are you sleeping?_

_**Hanna - 2:48 am; **__No._

_**Caleb - 2:49 am;**__ Why?_

_**Hanna - 2:51 am; **__Thoughts._

_**Caleb - 2:53 am; **__I understand. Same here._

At that text, Hanna didn't know how to reply, so she thought she wouldn't have done it. But something made her change her mind. Yeah, because she wanted to talk to him.

_**Hanna - 2:58 am; **__What are these thoughts that aren't making you sleep?_

_**Caleb - 3:00 am; **__That's just one. It's you._

Hanna let go a smile. And for once she didn't want to feel gulity. She kept reading that short text at least twenty times, before answering.

_**Hanna - 3:07 am;**__ You should try to sleep, though. If I'm not wrong, you're having an early class tomorrow._

_**Caleb - 3:11 am; **__I'd rather think about you than sleep. And what are the thoughts that aren't making you sleep, instead?_

_**Hanna - 3:13 am;**__ Can't you guess?_

_**Caleb - 3:15 am; **__Maybe. Why don't you tell me?_

_**Hanna - 3:17 am; **__I don't want to. And I don't change my mind so easy._

_**Caleb - 3:18 am; **__Typical of Hanna Marin :P_

_**Hanna - 3:20 am; **__I can't help but admit that you're right._

_**Caleb - 3:22 am;**__ Anyway, I forgot to tell you something today..._

_**Hanna - 3:23 am; **__What?_

_**Caleb - 3:24 am;**__ You're still so beautiful :)_

And Hanna smiled again. He knew how to make her smile even if it was the middle of the night, by text, even if she has spent the whole evening crying. He knew how to make her smile always, even though everything. He has done it in the past: he has made her smile even if she was persecuted by -A, even if her father's new family couldn't stand her, even if her mother was risking the jail... He had always been able to make her feel good even though everything around her was a mess. And he was still able to.  
**  
**_**Hanna - 3:27 am; **__Thank you :)_

_**Caleb - 3:30 am;**__ You're welcome, it's the truth. But I'd like you to say something about me as well! And don't tell me that it's turning late now :P_

Hanna smiled and bited her lip. She would have never written him the truth, that is she thought he was so handsome. It wouldn't have been a thing of hers, dammit. In fact, she didn't.

_**Hanna - 3:33 am; **__The moustaches, Caleb. Why? :/_

Actually, she loved them. They gave him a kinda classy taste. They were sexy, there wasn't another word to describe them.

_**Caleb - 3:34 am; **__What? You don't like 'em? :(_

_**Hanna - 3:35 am; **__I haven't said that!_

_**Caleb - 3:36 am; **__So?_

_**Hanna - 3:37 am; **__Okay, let's say that they give you a more elegant look..._

_**Caleb - 3:39 am; **__Mmh, is that a compliment? Look, if you don't like them, I'll cut them off!_

_**Hanna - 3:40 am**__; Who cares about what I think?_

_**Caleb - 3:41 am;**__ It's all that matters to me._

For the nth time in their texting, Hanna smiled. God, he was the same Caleb as always. The same adorable, sweet and outright Caleb.

_**Hanna - 3:43 am; **__You know, I was wrong today. You're not changed, you're still the same._

_**Caleb - 3:45 am;**__ Yeah, that's true. It's always me. And you, do you think you're changed?_

_**Hanna - 3:46 am;**__ I don't know actually..._

_**Caleb - 3:47 am;**__ I like you also now, if this is a consolation to you ;)_

_**Hanna - 3:50 am;**__ I can say you made me smile a lot tonight, so thanks :)_

_**Caleb - 3:52 am; **__You don't know how much this makes me happy :) Anyway, if I can say... In my opinion, you're still the same too._

_**Hanna - 3:53 am; **__What does make you think that?_

_**Caleb - 3:55 am;**__ It's been enough for me to see you and talk to you today. And tonight. You're still my Hanna._

That last sentence touched Hanna deeply. _His_ Hanna. The Hanna whom he was in love with. The Hanna who was in love with him. He was right, he was fucking right.

_**Hanna - 4:00 am;**__ It's really late now. Goodnight, Caleb._

_**Caleb - 4:01 am;**__ Goodnight, Hanna. Sweet dreams._

Hanna fell asleep thinking about him, with a smile on her lips, after all. And Caleb, a few rooms far from there, did the same. And his heart beated faster just at the thought that Hanna had replied to his texts. He had missed falling asleep after having written her the goodnight text. He missed her, to death. Because without her, he felt like he was nothing.

* * *

**A/N: Aww, the texts... Loved writing that part *-* What do you guys think about this chapter? Brit was nice to Hanna, wasn't she? But she didn't know Hanna was talking about that hot assistant, though...:P Anyway, I wanna thank OceanSky9, britneymartina, treaanne, sarahschneider2012, crazy music lover 1, ****Smileyface2508**** and all the guests who left a review or added the story in the follow/favorite. Seriously, I read you all and I swear that it means a lot to me :) I'll update as soon as I translate the next chapter! Kisses to everyone of you and thanks for reading! xx -Atramea.**


	7. Chapter 7

**_"Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep dreaming about the things that we could be, but, baby, I've been, I've been praying hard, said, no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars."_**

**_[Counting Stars - OneRepublic]_**

Hanna woke up because of her alarm clock, punctual at half past seven am.

"Fuck..." she groaned, turning it off and turning herself on her other side in the bed.

Well, she didn't sleep neither four hours. Brit groaned some insult from her bed as well, listlessly burying her head in her pillow. Then Hanna realized. At ten past eight, she was having the first class of the day, and it would have been the informatics class. She couldn't hold back an idiot smile and she got up from the bed.

"C'mon, Brit... If we go fast, we can stop at the bar to have breakfast." she added.

"Give me a better reason to make me get up from this wonderful bed..." she said.

Hanna had an idea.

"We have informatics at the first period, and there will be that hot assistant with the moustaches." she said.

And Brit got up lightning.

"Okay, better now. I go to the bathroom first!" she said, opening the bathroom's door

Hanna shook her head smiling, and she sat on the bed waiting for Brit to liberate the bathroom. And her mobile buzzed.

_**Caleb - 7:34 am; **__Good morning, sunshine :) See you in less than an hour._

_**Hanna - 7:35 am; **__Good morning to you, too..._

_**Caleb - 7:37 am; **__Aren't you tired? We've been a bit late last night...  
_

_**Hanna - 7:38 am;**__ Said this way, it seems different than what actually happened..._

_**Caleb - 7:39 am; **__We know what happened, that's the important thing ;)_

_**Hanna - 7:41 am; **__I'm gonna get ready. See you later._

_**Caleb - 7:42 am; **__Don't be late or I'm gonna send you a warning letter :P See you later, Marin._

Hanna smiled. She loved when Caleb texted her. She had missed their texting. She had missed him, to death.

* * *

Caleb arrived to the class early. He stood on the edge of the classroom's door looking around him, searching for Hanna, of course. In the meanwhile, he read again her texts, either the previous night ones, either the morning ones. And he smiled like a teenager at his first crush. When the first guys started entering, even though there wasn't Hanna between them, he entered as well. He sat at the teaching post, waiting for Norton. He started connecting the computer to the projector, to settle the wires. And then, he turned around, hearing a familiar voice.

And he saw her.

And she saw him.

She was with Brit. He smiled at her and winked, while Hanna just fleetingly smiled back, not to get noticed by Brit.

"He smiled at you!" she whispered though, as she took a seat with Hanna.

"Who?" she played dumb.

"The hot assistant with the moustaches!"

"No, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying the truth, Han! It's a pity that you're already pretty messed up between Dave and your ex... Otherwise, it would be really worth a try!"

Hanna felt herself knifed hearing Dave's name, but then she smiled because of Brit's appreciations made about Caleb.

"Do you find him so handsome?" Hanna teased again.

"Are you kidding? He's too sexy!"

Hanna laughed at those words, looking at Caleb who obviously had his eyes glued on her.

"Do you feel better today?" Brit asked then, coming back serious.

Hanna gave her a reassuring smile. She effectively felt better, maybe thanks to Caleb's texts.

"Yes, I'm feeling better. Thank you, Brit." she added.

"Honey, don't thank me. I'm here for whatever you need, you know it."

The class went on normally, Hanna and Caleb continued shooting each other glances and smiles, though. Hanna was completely distracted by him. Until she had the brilliant idea of texting him while they were there.

_**Hanna - 8:36 am;**__ My friend keeps making appreciations about you._

And without thinking about it, she pressed the 'send' button. And she smiled when Caleb decomposed himself feeling his mobile buzzing. While Norton was continuously talking and he was there basically just to slide the presentations, he bent down without problems to check his mobile and he smiled at the sight that it was Hanna. He glanced at her after having read the text, so he replied, without problems as well.

_**Caleb - 8:38 am; **__She's very pretty but I'm not interested in._

_**Hanna - 8:40 am; **__Why? She's beautiful and single!_

Hanna knew how Caleb would have replied, and she just wanted to read those words.

_**Caleb - 8:42 am; **__I've only eyes for you._

At that text, Hanna lifted her head and made a big smile looking towards Caleb, who shrugged. Hanna came back with the sight on the mobile.

_**Hanna - 8:46 am; **__You shouldn't text with me, you're working._

_**Caleb - 8:48 am**__; Neither do you, you're here to learn, you should listen. Anyway, I love your provocations :P_

_**Hanna - 8:49 am; **__Provocations? What do you mean? I don't get it..._

_**Caleb - 8:51 am;**__ You get it, rather. You wanted me to say that I've only eyes for you. Corny, when yesterday I told you that I love you, don't you think?_

Hanna bited her lip and blushed, not able to look at Caleb, who was staring at her in that moment, sure of himself, instead.

"I wouldn't want to interrupt your intense texting with Dave or with your Rosewood ex, but the hot assistant keeps staring at you..." Brit said.

"Uhm? Stop it, Brit... Anyway, I was just playing Candy Crush!" Hanna replied, dodge.

"Sure, Candy Crush..."

Hanna looked at Brit, who smiled like who knew enough.

"Just tell me if it was Dave or Calvin!" she added.

"Okay, it was Calvin." Hanna said, with a confession tone.

"Can I read?"

Hanna put the mobile in her purse.

"He just wrote me that he has only eyes for me, there's not much to read." she said.

"But you haven't only eyes for him, instead..."

Hanna sighed, thinking about Dave.

"I need to understand what I want, Brit, and I can't turn my back at anyone of them at the moment. I care of both." she added.

"This isn't about caring... This is about love."

Hanna took a deep breath before answering.

"Well, I mean, I care of Dave, I feel a big affection towards him and I'm extremely grateful for how he has been beside me through one of the worst periods of my life... He has been wonderful with me, adorable, but..."

"But you don't love him."

"Yeah."

"What about Calvin?"

Hanna took another deep breath before answering, maybe even deeper than the previous.

"I loved him with all my heart. With him, I learnt what is love, I felt the very first emotions of my life... And... And he has always a special place in my heart. I will never forget him."

"Okay, it's clear that you did love him, but... Do you love him? I mean, do you love him now?"

Hanna sighed for the nth time, looking at Caleb who was staring at her, smiling.

"I don't know, Brit. I don't know."

Brit nodded, then looked at Caleb.

"Anyway, I want the assistant's number. I have to read up about him, I have to find out if he's taken, where he lives, what's his name..."

Hanna shook her head.

"His name's Caleb Rivers." she added.

"How do you know it?"

Hanna froze. Then she remembered that the professor Norton has introduced him during the first class, luckily for her.

"Norton said it yesterday." she said then.

"Oh, yeah, you're right... What a careless! Caleb, huh? Do you think he's taken?"

Hanna shrugged, scratching her head, a little embarassed.

"But he keeps staring at you, not a chance." Brit continued.

"C'mon, Brit. You've said it, I already have enough messes to think also about him."

"I'm interested too!" a girl said, sitting behind Hanna and Brit.

Hanna turned around and looked at her with skepticism. Dammit, it was an hard challenge to be jealous without showing it.

"Hey, Molly. I didn't know you were here!" Brit said, stretching an arm towards the girl.

She held her hand with affection.

"Oh, Molly, she's Hanna, my roommate. Hanna, she's Molly, we saw each other during some graphic classes!" Brit said.

"Molly, nice to meet you." the girl said, stretching her hand towards Hanna.

She held it, forcing a smile.

"Hanna, likewise." she added.

"So, Molly... Did you find out something about the assistant?" Brit asked, while Hanna had already turned around, not much happy about the discussion's topic.

"Caleb Rivers lives in California, but it seems like he's got a room here inside the college at the moment, because he's staying here for a stage which will last for the whole semester. Oh, he's twenty. But unfortunately, I don't know anything else." Molly said without taking a breath.

"If you don't mind me ask, how do you know all these things?" Hanna asked, turning around, slightly irritated.

"Well, I asked him at the end of the last class." Molly replied, with a pleased smile.

Hanna looked at her skeptical, then she turned around again.

"Whoa, I want the details of your chat!" Brit said then.

Hanna lost her temper.

"Guys, we're overreacting now, Norton is going to reproach us if we don't stop. And plus, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to listen... I'm trying to take notes!" she mumbled.

"You've texted until now, though!" Brit said, and Hanna snorted.

"We would need to find out his room's number..." Brit continued, mischievously.

_'That's enough.'_ Hanna thought, lifting her eyes to the ceiling. Luckily, she was saved by the fact that the class was just ended.

"That's all, guys. See you next time." Caleb saluted at the mycrophone, smiling.

"God, he's so sexy!" Molly squeaked.

"So damn sexy!" Brit agreed.

Hanna shook her head and walked to the exit of the classroom, leaving Brit and Molly behind, and this time she passed in front of Caleb.

"Hey..." he called her, through the bustle of the guys getting out.

"Come to class with a mask on, please, I've got enough of hearing the girls making fantasies about you!" she said.

Caleb smiled and shook his head.

"And anyway, you shouldn't chat with the girls of your course... And I'm not talking about me!" Hanna continued, with irritation.

"Wait, you're jealous!" Caleb said, widening his smile even more.

"You're really wrong. I have to go now." Hanna said then, hastily, and she got out of the classroom.

Caleb laughed and shook his head, helping Norton to put the computer and the projector in place.

* * *

"Hi, Caleb!" he heard someone calling him after some minutes.

He lifted his head and he found the girl who talked to him the previous day, due to so-called 'feminine curiosity'.

"Hi, can I help you?" he replied, not remembering the name.

"I'm Molly, do you remember?"

Molly, sure.

"Yeah, so tell me, can I help you?"

The girl was soon accompanied by another one whom Caleb had registered in his mind like 'Hanna's friend'.

"I'm Brit... Hello, Caleb!" she said.

"Hi." he smiled.

"Brit and I wanted some explanations about the course... May you'd like some coffee at the bar?" Molly said.

"Sorry, but I'm busy with the professor Norton." Caleb kindly smiled.

"Maybe later!" Brit continued.

"Norton has the students receipt today, you can ask him every explanation, from 3 'o clock to 5 'o clock pm in the readers classroom. I'm just an assistant, I can't give you informations about this exam, I definitely don't know as much as him. I'm sorry." Caleb cut, ending with a smile.

"Okay, our coffee offer wasn't effectively to talk about the course..." Molly continued.

Caleb, while was putting away some stuff, raised his eyebrows and looked at her quizzically, even if he has perfectly understood what she was meaning.

"It's just a coffee to know you better... I mean, you're our age and you're nice, and... I'd like to know more about you, nothing else." Molly said, while Brit nudged at her as she said '_I'd _like'.

Caleb sighed, smiling.

"I'm sorry, it's not the case." he added.

"Okay, sorry, I couldn't know you were taken, and..."

"I'm not."

"So can I know what is the problem?"

"Let's just say that I have someone to think about before falling asleep. Guys, excuse me." Caleb just said, walking away.

"Is it Hanna, perhaps?" Brit bursted, suddenly.

Caleb froze and returned to look at Molly and Brit.

"Sorry, what?" he added.

"You're always looking at her and you smile at her as well, may you like her? Well, I'm sorry but I think she has something else to think about before sleeping!" Brit continued, unpleasantly.

"I don't know who's the person you're talking about." Caleb lied, distraught by the last words of Brit's 'lecture'.

"Okay, stop, Brit. Excuse me again, Caleb. Have a nice day." Molly cut, taking Brit away.

Caleb remained stuck thinking about what Brit had just said, but he eventually attributed those words to the envy and to the feminine competition.

* * *

**A/N: Hi guys! I had a bit of spare time today, so I decided to post this chapter :) First of all, thank you with all my heart for the kind reviews, seriously, you're wonderful! So, did you like this chapter? Caleb, what a heartthrob :):) Well, I'm pretty sure that most of you are going to hate this Molly hahaha :) She's a bit bitchy, we can definitely say that, yeah... Anyway, what do you think about the chapter? The other Hanna/Caleb texting? Hanna's jealousy? I hope to read your opinions about everything through the reviews! Thanks a lot for reading! (I'm writing the next chap of The Healer too, don't worry) Kisses! I'll update again ASAP ;) xx -Atramea.**


	8. Chapter 8

**_"There are movies playing in your eyes, you dream of our fortune, but you're wrong, I don't belong to you."_**

**_[Belong - Cary Brothers]_**

Hanna was walking alone through the NYU's hallways, trying to rest her head from all of Brit's cackles and from all her mischievous appreciations made with Molly about Caleb. She didn't stand listening to those appreciations, that was the truth. She walked thinking about him and Dave, about how she was feeling with herself in a situation so surreal, about her whole life which seemed falling apart now like a sandcastle.

Without knowing how, absent-mindedly, she found herself near the chemistry lab. She noticed a weird smell and, curiously, she entered in the classroom, empty at the moment, just like the area of the college where she was. The door slammed behind her shut due to a wind whiffle, and what showed up in front of her wasn't good at all. From a broken test tube, had leaked a dark substance, strained all around the floor, and were flaring up some flames from there. Hanna tried to open the door, but she couldn't, it was defective. She looked around her and she noticed there weren't any fire extinguishers, and as if it wasn't enough, her mobile was low-battery. Hanna started screaming and knocking on the door, but that NYU's corner was desolate, and it seemed like anybody couldn't hear her. How the hell was she ended up in a situation like that?

Hanna, instinctively, took another test tube and thought of throw the content on the flames trying to appease them, but then she thought to the fact that, not knowing which substance was in the test tube, she could have made things even worse, so she didn't do anything. She kept yelling against the door, she kept cursing about why there were neither fire extinguishers nor anti-fire alarms in that fucking classroom, so Caleb and everything else were forgotten for a moment because of those threatening flames.

But just for a moment.

Because to bail her out, came over anybody but Caleb. Hanna was there furiously knocking against the door, when Caleb opened it from outside. Hanna tumbled into his arms, terrified, and he pulled her out of the classroom, then he pressed an alarm button on the hallway's wall and a siren started ringing.

"Are you okay?" Caleb whispered, holding Hanna.

Hanna nodded sobbing, not able to do anything else. Caleb pulled away just to take a fire extinguisher a few steps far from there and help the other men come in the meanwhile the alarm was given to extinguish the fire.

* * *

"What were you doing in the chemistry area?" Caleb asked Hanna shortly after.

The security was tidying the last things, and some guys were come over to see what had just happened. And the two were in a corner, with Hanna still upset for what happened.

"I don't know, I... I was absent-minded, and I was walking, and... I really don't know."

"It's such a shame that there was neither a fire extinguisher in there, dammit..."

"Yeah... And what the hell were you doing here?"

Caleb smiled.

"I saw you walking away, and... I was kinda following you. Okay, I don't wanna sound like a stalker, I just wanted to... Talk to you, maybe... Or just keep staring at you..." he replied, a little clumsy.

Hanna smiled and looked at her shoes, embarassed, then she looked back at Caleb.

"Thank you, Caleb." she murmured.

"Anybody else would have done the same." he replied, shrugging.

"But anybody else wouldn't have followed me till a desolate chemistry lab burning with just the poor hope of talk to me..."

Caleb smiled.

"I'd follow you everywhere..." he added.

"It seems like I've found again my guardian angel..." Hanna smiled.

Caleb, then, joined one of his hands to Hanna's one, making their intertwined fingers playing. In the meanwhile, they looked in each other's eyes, and a lot of strong and indecipherable feelings flowed into their minds passing through their veins. And the blood throbbed more powerfully, more frantically, more intensely.

They probably would have stayed looking at each other for eternity, if Hanna wasn't joined by Dave. Only in that moment, Hanna and Caleb's intertwined fingers parted. Dave wrapped an arm around Hanna's shoulders and he held her against himself, kissing her temple.

"Babe, how are you?"

Hanna felt awfully embarassed. She smiled at Dave without saying anything, and she didn't have the courage to look at Caleb. It was Dave who stretched his open hand towards him.

"You must be the guy who gave the alarm... Let me thank you for having saved my girlfriend, man! I'm Dave, and she's Hanna, if you guys haven't already introduced to each other!"

Caleb remained initially motionless, then he glanced at Hanna who denied him her gaze, lowering it. He then took a deep breath and let go a fake smile, holding Dave's hand.

"Caleb, nice to meet you."

"Caleb, let me offer you a coffee. We're going to have it at the bar, just the three of us. Well, it's the least I can do to thank you, let me do it." Dave added, smiling.

Caleb exchanged a shy look with the speechless Hanna and he replied to the guy's offer, the second coffee offer in a very short time.

"I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry. You guys don't owe me nothing though, I just did what I had to do. It's me the one who thanks you for your gratitude. Have a nice day and congratulations, Dave, you've got a really beautiful girlfriend, keep her close to you."

Hanna would have wanted to disappear. Caleb's last sentence was a really low blow, that Hanna interpreted like a bad irony to the fact that she had a guy by her side now, a guy who wasn't him. But Caleb wasn't allowed to do that, she said to herself. It was him the one who left her. It was late now.

* * *

Caleb locked himself in his room. Seeing another guy holding Hanna and calling her 'babe' had been a stab straight to his heart. He felt like a dizziness inside. It has been an awful feeling. He felt an idiot not to have thought before that someone was beside Hanna. God, she was so beautiful, it was normal that there had been someone who had courted her in those years, and Hanna had all the right to have someone with her. And if she was happy, Caleb wouldn't have intruded in her life anymore. Then, suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was Hanna.

_**Hanna - 3:16 pm; **__Can we talk?_

_**Caleb - 3:17 pm; **__Hanna, you don't have to do that._

_**Hanna - 3:18 pm;**__ Do what?_

_**Caleb - 3:21 pm; **__Give me explanations. You don't owe me them. It was me the one who left you two years ago, and you had all the right to start over. We've nothing to talk about._

Hanna didn't reply. She had just come back in her room after have had lunch with Dave. Brit wasn't there, she had warned Hanna that she would have gone shopping with her sister on the Fifth Avenue. Hanna felt guilty towards Caleb, even if she didn't know why. On the other hand, he had absolutely no right to claim anything from her. Nevertheless, Hanna felt awfully guilty. Maybe for the fact not to have told him about Dave earlier. Maybe for the fact that he was still single, unlike her. Maybe for the fact she was still head over heels in love with him.

* * *

**A/N: Dan-dan-dan! Well, it had to happen, sooner or later :/ Congratulations to the guest who guessed it would have happened exactly in this chapter ;) So... Yeah, I know that the rescue thing is probably a bit cliché but I kinda needed it to make things happen... However... Poor Caleb :( He saved Hanna and then he found out about Dave in a very rush way... And now? What do you guys think it's gonna happen? Well, you have to be patient, but I'm pretty sure you'll like the next chapter... And sorry if this was a bit short, but trust me, the next will be longer and pretty emotional too ;) ...Anyway, thank you as always for your reviews! It's a pleasure for me reading you, you're the best! I really didn't expect all these lovely words :') So, keep reviewing, you guys make me really happy with that! I'll update in two or three days, hopefully! Have a nice week and, wow, PLL Summer Premiere tomorrow *-* I can't wait for Caleb to be back in #505! Yay! xx -Atramea.**


	9. Chapter 9

**_"Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you."_**

**_[Fix You - Coldplay]_**

Caleb was in his room working on some things for Norton on his pc. He had to settle a presentation, nothing too binding. Nevertheless, he was using an eternity, because he couldn't focus himself. He was thinking about Hanna. In his mind kept replaying the scene of her held by that guy. And Caleb felt a knot in his chest at that thought.

It was about ten 'o clock pm. He hadn't touched any food, only the idea caused him nausea. Suddenly, he heard a knock on his door. It could be only Norton, carrying him the nth usb key which he had to work on. Caleb got up from his bed where he was sitting at work, and went to open the door with just his pajama pants on.

But it wasn't Norton.

It was Hanna.

"Hanna... What are you doing here?" Caleb murmured.

Hanna remained staring at him motionless. She lowered her gaze to his bare muscular torso for a moment, blushing slightly. She bited her lip and returned to look at him in the eyes.

"Can I come in?" she said then.

"Sure."

Caleb approached the threshold and made her coming in his room, closing the door immediately after. Hanna sat on the bed, and Caleb came by her side.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened today, I mean, about what you saw today..."

"I saw you with a guy, yeah. But I repeat you don't owe me any explanation."

"Caleb, I should have told you about him earlier. Look, Dave is a wonderful guy, he helped me to carry on when you left, and I care so much of him. But I don't want you to feel bad because of that..."

"Well, I don't think I can promise you this."

Hanna looked at Caleb, who was serious and was drumming with his leg, like he always did when he was nervous. And she knew it.

"You know, I'm okay with you being with him, if it's what you want, if it makes you happy. But then, I'm sorry but you can't ask me to keep texting or seeing each other as friends. You can ask me everything, but not this. Because you and I will never be able to be friends, and you know it. You just have to tell me that you're fine and you're happy, and I swear that I'm not going to intrude in your life anymore. But you have to tell it to me, Hanna." Caleb continued.

"I can't tell you that." Hanna admitted, biting her lip.

Caleb sighed deeply, roaming his hands through his hair, then he spoke again.

"Hanna... I told you what I feel for you, and I think I've been pretty clear. You didn't tell me anything, but I think I know what you feel though. I'm not asking you anything, but... But I suggest you to look inside yourself and understand what you want. Because keep seeing you and being close to you without being able either to touch you, is something that drives me crazy. Seriously. It might looks like a selfish talk to you, but it's not. Or maybe you're thinking that I'm playing the victim, but believe me, it's not like this. I don't want anything but your happiness."

Hanna sighed and lowered her gaze.

"I don't want you to disappear from my life again, Caleb." she admitted, without being able to look him in the eyes.

"But?" he replied.

"But I can't turn my back at Dave."

"Are you asking me to be friends?"

"No. I don't wanna be a friend of yours, Caleb."

"So what do you want from me, Hanna? Why did you come for that coffee with me? Why did you give me your number? Why do you reply to my texts? Why are you jealous when your friends talk about me? Why did you come to find me in my room? I need to know it!" Caleb blurted out, gently lifting Hanna's face with a hand to look her in the eyes.

Hanna swallowed upon crossed his gaze. Caleb pursed his lips waiting for an answer, and the only thing that ran through Hanna's head was just the strong desire of kiss him. But she held it back.

"You know why." she simply replied, with teary eyes.

Caleb sighed and lowered his gaze.

"It always has to be so complicated between us?" he said.

"Maybe it's destiny."

Caleb chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Hanna asked.

"Your full-of-wisdom sentences. I missed them." he smiled.

Hanna smiled back.

"Actually, I missed you." Caleb added again.

"I missed you too, Caleb." Hanna murmured, letting go a single tear.

Caleb raised a hand and wiped it with his thumb.

"Hey, don't cry..." he said, before pulling her to him and hug her.

Hanna let hold herself by his hug and she cried against his bare chest. Caleb held her tight without saying a word, rubbing her back and hair. Hanna thought he was right about everything, from the fact that it has always to be so complicated between them, to the fact that they would have never been able to be friends. Because they loved each other. To death.

Hanna was into his arms, and she also thought that Dave had never hugged her that way. It was enough a Caleb's hug to make her feel good with herself and with the rest of the world, even when everything was falling apart. Only he was able to make her feel good, _that_ good. Only he.

"Why are you crying?" Caleb whispered, upon Hanna calmed herself.

"I wanna neither you nor Dave to suffer because of me..." she murmured, without parting from Caleb's chest.

"This way you're the one who will suffer, though. You're too selfless, Hanna. For once, you should think about yourself, about what makes you happy. About who makes you happy."

Hanna sighed, then she lifted herself to face Caleb. She caressed his face, and Caleb slightly wringed his head to kiss one of her hands.

"You really made me worry today, you know?" he murmured again.

Hanna nodded, biting her lip.

"I'm still the same careless." she added.

"So you're not changed, see?" he said, smiling.

Hanna smiled back, caressing him again. Caleb placing his hands on her hips and moved closer to her.

"Do you wanna go for a walk?" she said then.

Caleb raised his eyebrows.

"I'm gonna show you a little of New York. You're here since two days and you've gone out just to have a coffee to the other side of the street..." she continued.

"But it was worth it." Caleb smiled.

Hanna shook her head, laughing.

"Let me put something on." he added, getting up from the bed.

Hanna watched him as, without any problem, he slipped off his pants, remaining just in his boxers. Hanna lowered her head, embarassed. Caleb noticed it and laughed.

"I thought we were over this since a long time." he added, chuckling.

Hanna bited her lip, blushing.

"Just be quick to get dressed, please." she simply said, without looking at him.

Caleb, keeping chuckling, slipped into a pair of jeans and a cashmere sweater. In the meanwhile, Hanna noticed his pc leaning on the mattress, opened but in standby. She moved a hand on the touchpad, curiously. It showed up to her a screen asking for the password. But what captured her attention, was the underneath wallpaper. It was a picture of Caleb with her, wrapping in each other's arms and smiling. It was obviously of the good Rosewood times. Hanna smiled and felt a lump in her throat, but she held back the tears with all herself.

"Well, you know the password. I've never changed it. It always ends with 1105 and an exclamation point." Caleb smiled, looking at her staring at his pc's screen.

"Sorry, I didn't want to..."

Caleb interrupted her.

"Hanna, don't apologize. So, are we going to go for this walk?" he said, smiling.

Hanna smiled back and nodded. Caleb stretched his hand to her and Hanna grabbed it, so he helped her to get up. And Hanna felt even more guilty. Yes, it was Caleb who left her two years earlier, but he did it only to protect her from Ravenswood's dangers, surely not because he didn't love her. Because he had never stopped loving her. He had always been faithful to her memory, and it was demonstrated by his pc's wallpaper, his sincere words. Caleb had really never thought about anyone else. He had really kept living hoping he would have found her again, one day. And the fact that he hadn't wanted to slip back in her life not to make her upset, had made clear to Hanna that Caleb loved her to death, that he was still in love with her like the first day, that he would have always put Hanna's happiness before his. She knew he was honest. He was still the same Caleb. And she was still the same Hanna. They were still them, Hanna and Caleb.

* * *

Hanna took Caleb to Times Square. He had never been to New York, an he was glad to be visiting the city with Hanna for the first time.

"That's great..." he murmured, looking at the lights and the huge advertising signs which were flashing.

"Yeah. I still can't believe that you've never been here. I mean, a travel man like you!"

Caleb shrugged, and kept looking around himself like a kid in a toy shop. Suddenly, a little guy who was selling roses came up to him.

"Man, buy a rose for your girlfriend! Only three bucks!"

Caleb chuckled at the words _'your girlfriend'_, then he took ten bucks from his wallet and handed them to the little guy.

"Give me three of them and keep the change." he added.

Hanna was embarassed to death, but she made a big smile when Caleb handed to her the three roses, even though she blushed.

"Thank you..." she murmured, grabbing the roses.

"You're welcome." Caleb smiled, raising his eyebrows.

They sat on a tier, with tired legs. Hanna was trembling because of the cold air, and Caleb noticed it. Without saying anything, he took off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. Hanna just smiled at him, as she played with the roses' stems between her fingers.

"How long have you been with Dave?" he asked.

Hanna looked at him and sighed, then she replied.

"We've been dating for a year. I met him to the psychologist. I was in therapy to go out of the bulimia, and he to detoxify from his alcohol addiction. We kinda helped each other to go out of them."

Caleb nodded.

"Does he treat you well?" he said after a few istants.

"Yes, he does. He's a good guy. He never even louded his voice at me, and if you don't know, you'll never bet even a dollar on the fact that he has had a alcoholic past."

"Do you love him?"

Hanna took a deep breath before restarting talking.

"Dave kissed me after having gone out together for about a couple months. I was a bit surprised, because I was still thinking about you, but then I said to myself that there wasn't any real reason not to try to stay with a cute and kind guy like him. So we got together, and he had always given me a lot of attentions, and... And he had never made me miss anything. One night, he walked me to my mom's house after having gone out together for dinner, and he said that he loves me for the first time. And I didn't say anything. I got off the car and I entered my house. Dave didn't mind about it, he kept being the same with me, but he was saying that he loves me, everyday. And everytime he said it, I've never answered him anything. Even though this, after a year, he's still beside me, and he doesn't claim anything from me. Caleb, I'm not in love with him and I think he's aware of that. I... I've never loved anyone but you."

Caleb nodded, motioning a smile. And it was again Hanna the one who restarted talking.

"Dave knows I've ended up in therapy because of a love disappointment. That's why he doesn't complain some of my act towards him, I guess. He's a smart guy, he knows I'm still deeply attached to my ex-boyfriend, and he never talks about it because he doesn't wanna hurt me. And I'm deeply grateful to him because of this. He loves me without claiming anything from me. He doesn't mind I don't feel the same for him."

Caleb licked his lips, searching for the right words.

"I understand." he just murmured, playing with his own fingers.

"I tried with all myself to get over you, but I couldn't. Even though all the time passed, even though Dave, even though everything... You've never gone out of me. That's the truth." Hanna added, biting her lip.

"I don't want you to renounce to the stability you've found, Hanna. I don't want you to leave that guy for me, if you don't want to. But then, I don't know if keep seeing each other it's a good thing for us..."

"No, please." Hanna said with decision, placing a hand on his leg.

Caleb looked at her quizzically, then Hanna continued.

"I'm confused, Caleb. But I don't want to get you away from me, not now that I've found you again. We're not seeing each other as friends, we're seeing each other as Hanna and Caleb. I do wanna spend some time with you out of the college, even though I can't act in a certain way with you, because I care of Dave so I can't. But I would understand if you don't want to see me anymore, because of the circumstances, but you should know that I'd like to, and..."

Caleb placed his hand on Hanna's, still on his leg, then he interrupted her.

"Fine. Like you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If you think you need this to understand what you really want, I'm not gonna say no. As long as we're gonna always see each other as Hanna and Caleb, and not as friends, though." he smiled.

"As Hanna and Caleb." she nodded.

"As Hanna and Caleb. Without categorizing anything as 'friends', 'couple', 'lovers'... Just 'Hanna and Caleb'."

"That's perfect." she concluded.

Caleb smiled at her, and he thought about how much she was beautiful. Hanna, instead, noticed that she had goosebumps just hearing their names one next to the other.

"You didn't date anyone else? Except for ghosts..." Hanna said.

Caleb chuckled at her clarification.

"No. I focused myself on the work, and for the rest I enjoyed my family. My mother, my father when he was coming to visit me, and those little monsters of my brothers. I've recovered a bit of my missing childhood. And if I could do it, the merit is all yours." he replied smiling.

Hanna smiled back. Anyone of them noticed that their hands were still one on the other, on Caleb's leg. It was a gesture so natural and spontaneous that wasn't particularly attended by them.

"Neither do I've loved anyone else but you, Hanna." he added again, looking in her eyes, serious.

The moment was ripped by the ring of Hanna's mobile. Only then she retired her hand from Caleb's leg. She searched for her mobile in her purse, while Caleb cleared his throat and returned to look at the Times Squares' lights. On the display appeared Spencer's name, and Hanna sighed in relief because it wasn't Dave.

"Hey, Spence..." she picked up quietly.

Heard that name, also Caleb took a big weight off his chest.

"Hanna, may could it be known where the hell have you ended up? It's been two nights that you're passing the Skype group videocall, plus without alerting. So, what's the matter?"

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. It's that I've got some problems with my pc..." Hanna lied.

"You could have written a text, at least!"

"You're right, Spence, it's that I've so much to study... I'm sorry! I promise I'll do anything to be on tomorrow!"

"Let me know!"

"Of course. Give a kiss to the guys and apologize with them for me. Love you guys."

"We do too, Han. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Spence."

Hanna hung up and sighed.

"Is everything okay?" Caleb asked.

"I didn't tell them that you're here. The girls would kill you if they knew that you're here, and they would kill me too if they knew that I'm with you."

"Well, I understand. I mean, at everybody's eyes I'm the one who had the most beautiful and sweet girl in the world and who left her like a coward, without explications. I find their resentment lawful, they love you and I guess it hasn't been easy for them to see you suffering. I wouldn't kill you, but... Me too, I would kill myself if I were them." Caleb replied smiling.

"But they don't know the whole truth." Hanna added.

"Yeah. They don't know about the Ravenswood's story, about the curse, about all that absurd thing... And it's better like this. And if it was for me, neither you would have known the truth. You've taken a big risk, and I would have gladly avoided it."

"I would have avoided that you've taken certain risks, too. Furthermore, I was the one who asked you to stay in that creepy place..."

Caleb smiled.

"But you couldn't picture what was behind all of that." he added.

"Yeah. But if I didn't ask you that, it might have kept going all okay between us. And we would have never lost each other."

Caleb came closer to Hanna and took her hands.

"It's not your fault, Hanna. You're the last person who can take the fault of all that happened, did you understand? Don't say that anymore, okay?" he said.

"Think about it, Caleb. If you came back to Rosewood with me that night, we would have never broke up. And we would probably be still together now, without all these damn problems." Hanna blurted out, with teary eyes.

"Hey, look at me. We're here now. That's all that matters. I don't want to think about Ravenswood anymore, nor to come back with my mind to when we broke up. And I think you don't want to, either. So calm yourself now, and just think that's all ended and that we're all fine, and... And that you and I are together in New York today, far from everything and everybody. Is it fine?"

Hanna nodded and wiped away a single tear, burned by the guilt. And Caleb hugged her for the second time that night. And Hanna felt better as soon as she found herself in those arms which made her feel immediately home and safe. And most of all, they made her feel endlessly loved.

"You're still wearing 'Fierce' by Abercrombie?" Hanna asked, with her face mashed against his neck, sounding more like an affermation than a question.

Caleb made a giggle, holding Hanna tighter.

"Of course. Since you gave it to me, I've never changed it." he added, stroking her hair.

Hanna laughed, and hooked her arms' grasp to Caleb waist, keeping herself tight to his body.

"And you keep wearing 'The One' by Dolce&Gabbana... You should know I've already noticed it yesterday, though." Caleb chuckled, kissing her head.

"Excellent nose." Hanna decreed.

"One of my endless skills."

Hanna laughed against Caleb's skin, and he did the same through her hair.

"I'm sorry, Hanna..." Caleb suddenly murmured, as he kept holding Hanna to himself.

"For what?"

"I would have never wanted you to come back to the bulimia's hole. And that was definitely my fault. You don't know how much I feel like crap just at the thought... I can't even imagine what you had to walk through while I wasn't beside you, exactly when you needed me, and..."

Hanna lifted her head and looked into his eyes, then she interrupted him.

"Stop it, Caleb. You've said it, it's all ended and we're fine now. And most of all, we're here today, together. And that's the most important thing. There's no need for us to take the faults of what happened in the past."

Caleb nodded and smiled at her. They stayed speechless and tight in each other's arms for about ten minutes more, before they decided to come back to the college.

* * *

They took a cab and, in the meanwhile, Caleb told Hanna about his brothers, while she told him anecdotes about Aria, Spencer and Emily. Upon arrived, Caleb walked Hanna to her room's door.

"Thank you for the roses." Hanna said, as she took her room's keys.

"Thank you for the night out. If you didn't come to find me in my room, I would have stayed with Norton's presentation all night long. I guess that for the company, I went definitely better." he smiled.

"Only for the company?"

"It was ironic, Han. Oh, anyway congratulations."

"On what?"

"On having remembered my room's number. I didn't remember you had such a good memory..."

"About what I care of, I can amaze also myself of my intellectual abilities." Hanna smiled.

"What a literate language, Marin."

"One of my endless skills."

The two bursted into laughs in front of the still-closed door, then Hanna signaled to him to lowered the voice.

"We're over midnight, everyone's may sleeping..." she added.

"You're right. Fine, so see you tomorrow." Caleb said, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"I'm not having any informatics class tomorrow, Caleb."

"Well, this doesn't mean that we're not gonna see each other." he smiled.

Hanna smiled back, so she inserted the key into the lock.

"Goodnight, Caleb." she added.

"Goodnight to you, Hanna. Sweet dreams." he replied, winking.

Hanna smiled again and disappeared behind her room's door, closing it paying attention not to be too loud. Brit wasn't in there, she was probably remained sleeping at her sister's. In Hanna's head flashed the idea of calling Caleb out of the door and telling him to stay with her for the night, but in a second she convinced herself it was a bad idea, so she didn't do anything but climbed on the bed.

And she smiled. She smiled because she was happy that Caleb was there. And that he loved her just like two years earlier.

* * *

Caleb came back in his room and he climbed on the bed. And he smiled. He smiled because he was happy that Hanna was there. And that, even though she hadn't explicitly said it yet, she loved him just like two years earlier.

His pc was still there on the bed. He didn't want to restart working and he wasn't focused enough to, but, staring at the wallpaper, an idea came up to him.

* * *

Hanna went to bed with a smile on her lips. She was looking at the ceiling and she sighed. She didn't want to hurt Dave, but she exactly knew what she was feeling inside. She couldn't hide to herself a feeling so strong. And then, her mobile buzzed. And the name which appeared on the display made her smile even more.

**_Caleb - 12:36 pm;_**_ Since it makes you smile so much, here you got it. Goodnight again, princess... And thank you for the awesome night :)_

At Caleb's text was attached the picture which he had like his pc's wallpaper. The one which Hanna has seen that same night. The one which had made her smile. And which was making her smile again. Even a tear escaped from her eyes, which she immediately wiped away, then she bited her lip searching for the right words to reply to the text.

**_Hanna - 12:39 pm; _**_That's beautiful, thank you. Night :)_

That's what she could write, before her eyelids folded to the sleep.

* * *

**A/N: So are you guys happy for this long chapter? Was it pretty emotional as I said? Hope so :) Just to be clear, I'm obsessed with the two perfumes mentioned, "Fierce" by A&F and "The One" by D&G... Love them both so I decided to include them someway ;) Soooo... What do you guys think of this chapter? Thank you to the guest who wrote that my ffs make his/her days better... I'm honored to read things like that, and I definitely promise that I'm not gonna let this fic uncompleted, don't worry! :) And thank you obviously to all the others reviewers, everybody, the ones who leave a review to every single chapter I write, seriously, you're the best and I don't know how to thank you because your words mean the world to me! And the ones who leave it only sometimes, I really appreciated anyway, don't worry :) I'm gonna update in 2/3 days as always (hopefully!) Let me know what you think, can't wait to read your reviews ;) xx -Atramea.**


	10. Chapter 10

"**_He kissed my lips, I taste your mouth. He pulled me in, I was disgusted with myself. 'Cause when I'm with him, I am thinking of you, thinking of you. What you would do if you were the one who was spending the night, oh, I wish that I was looking into your eyes."_**

**_[Thinking Of You - Katy Perry]_**

Caleb had breakfast at the NYU's bar. He was having class in a few minutes, but not with Hanna. While he was drinking his coffee, Dave came by his side. Caleb immediately noticed it, but he pretended not to have seen him. Of course he didn't want to spontaneously act so kind and everything in front of him when the only thing he wanted in his life was his girlfriend. But Dave noticed him as well, unfortunately for him.

"Caleb?"

Then, Caleb looked at him and pretended to be surprised, smiling.

"Hey... Dave, right?" he added.

"Right. How are you going?"

"All okay, thanks. You? And your girlfriend, how is she?"

"I'm fine, and Hanna too. I really don't know how to thank you for what you did yesterday..."

"No problem, really."

"What do you study?"

"Me? Oh, no, I... I'm an assistant."

"That young?"

"I've had a good offer and so much luck." Caleb smiled.

"Who's the teacher you work with?"

"The professor Edmond Norton, he teaches informatics. He gives classes to Hanna too."

"Really? It's weird that she didn't tell me you were her teacher's assistant..."

Caleb shrugged.

"Seeing you that young, I immediately assumed you were a student... How old are you?" Dave continued.

"I'm twenty, almost twenty-one."

"Well, I envy you, man!"

Caleb envied him instead, to death. Because he was Hanna's boyfriend.

"You, instead... What do you study?" Caleb said, kindly.

"I study architecture. Norton is not a teacher of mine, so I guess we're not gonna see each other in any class."

"Yeah."

"I have to leave, Caleb. I'm going to Hanna. Hey, keep an eye on her since you see her at lesson, okay? She's a little careless sometimes, but I guarantee you she's a good girl. I'm counting on you!"

Caleb nodded.

"See you next time, Dave." he added, holding back to say him that he knows so well, even better than him, how much Hanna was a good girl.

Dave waved at him and he disappeared through the students' crowd. And Caleb sighed deeply, finishing his coffee, more bitter than usual. Maybe because the girl who he was in love with's boyfriend had asked him to keep an eye on her, when Caleb had spent most of the previous night holding her in the middle of Times Square. Maybe because that guy's girlfriend was the girl who Caleb loved more than his own life.

* * *

Dave knocked on the room 209's door. After his yesterday's lunch with Hanna, the two had remained on that the next day he would have passed by her room and they would have gone walking through the campus before the beginning of the lessons. Dave was punctual, it was nine 'o clock in the morning, and for both of them, the classes of that day would have started at ten 'o clock. But Hanna didn't open the door, neither replied in any way. Dave knocked stronger, calling for her, but nothing. Then, he grabbed his mobile and called her.

* * *

Hanna woke up with the feeling of her mattress buzzing and the flash of her mobile's display pointed on her shut eyelids. She weakly opened her eyes, and in a second she understood that she hadn't set the alarm the night before. She read Dave's name on the display and she huskily picked up.

"Dave?"

"Hanna, I'm right outside here. I can hear your voice." he chuckled.

"What time is it?" she murmured, getting up from the bed.

Dave didn't reply, but he waited for her to open her room's door. Upon she did it, Dave smiled seeing her still half-asleep and with her hair messed.

"It's nine 'o clock in the morning, babe." he added.

"Shit, I didn't set the alarm! I'm sorry..." she replied, rubbing her eyes and ending the phone call.

Dave entered the room, laughing.

"I'll be ready in a moment, really!" Hanna said with a promising tone, throwing her mobile to the desk.

"A moment? Don't say bullshit! Plus, I see Brit is not here..."

Dave took her from the waist and he pulled her closer to him. Hanna looked at him perplexed. Dave started lifting her pajama shirt.

"We can't go for our walk through the campus in an hour time, but we can do something else..." he murmured, huskily.

Dave found Hanna damn irresistible even disheveled, make-up free, and with her light blue pajama on. He lowered his head towards her neck, brushing it with his nose, as his hands went to slip off her pajama shirt. Hanna closed her eyes, but what she felt as Dave's hands were rubbing her bare skin, was disguste. And closing her eyes, everything she saw was Caleb's face. Then she opened them, but the first thing that her gaze caught were the three roses which Caleb had given her the previous night, placed in a temporary glass full of water. Dave moved from her neck to her face, kissing her on the mouth passionately, but Hanna kept her lips closed, not able to react in any way. Dave's hands kept caressing her, and his tongue roughly slipped into Hanna's mouth. And she felt even more disgust at that contact. Then she pulled away, with decision.

"Sorry, I... It's not the moment now." she stuttered, nervously gesturing with her hands.

"Why? What's wrong?" he replied, raising his eyebrows and coming closer to Hanna again.

"I... I'm not in the mood, Dave."

"Hanna... What's the matter? You've been acting weird for days, I don't understand..."

"It's all okay. But it's not the moment now, fine? If you still wanna go around the campus, wait for me to get ready, otherwise... Otherwise we're gonna meet later." she replied with decision.

Dave sighed, nodding and biting his lip.

"Okay, I'm gonna wait for you at the bar. I might can keep chatting with Caleb..." he said, opening the door making his way to exit.

"Caleb?" Hanna asked.

"Yeah, the guy who helped you yesterday. Why didn't you tell me that he was your informatics teacher's assistant?"

"Oh, well... What's the importance of that?"

"Yeah, you're right." Dave smiled.

Hanna smiled back, trying to hide the awkwardness which rised in her talking about Caleb. Dave then noticed the roses placed on her desk.

"Hey, and those roses?" he said.

Hanna turned around and bited her lip.

"I think they're Brit's, I haven't any idea..." she murmured.

"And why are there on your desk?"

Hanna shrugged.

"You know how Brit is, she places everything on the first place she finds... I'm gonna meet you downstairs." she cut.

Dave, only then, got out of the room.

* * *

Hanna got ready quicker than her usual, and she went down to the bar searching for Dave. She had a little fear of finding him with Caleb. Seeing them together in front of her put her inconvenient. Luckily for her, when she arrived, Dave was alone, any Caleb's track. Even if, actually, seeing Caleb again it might wouldn't have been a displeasure for her, anything.

"Wow, I have to admit that you've been quick." Dave smiled.

Even though her harsh rejection of a few minutes earlier, Dave was smiling at her like nothing had happened. He really cared a lot of her, and she knew it. Hanna nodded, smiling back.

"Caleb's gone?" she asked.

"I haven't found him again when I came... But don't worry, I've thanked him again for what he did yesterday."

Hanna nodded again, so she had a coffee and she went out with Dave to walk around the campus.

* * *

Caleb spent his morning and his afternoon running about the classrooms with Norton. He had the whole day busy, even though he didn't do so much during those lessons, just slide some presentations through the projector which he always had to connect and disconnect from the laptop, continuously. He did nothing but think about Hanna. About their night in Times Square, about how much he had been good. During the day, he felt more than once the strong desire of texting her, but then he said to himself that he would have become intrusive and he thought that she could have been with Dave. With her boyfriend. So, he held back, sombrely hoping that she would have been the one who texted him.

* * *

Hanna came back to her room at ten 'o clock in the evening. She had spent the morning with Dave, then she had had classes until seven 'o clock pm, so she had had dinner again with Dave, and she had eventually come back to her room. She closed the door behind her and sighed deeply.

She had been with Dave, but she thought about Caleb for the whole time. Even when Dave has started undressing her, Hanna had felt the strong desire of having there Caleb instead of him. And that spoke for itself.

Dave, on the other hand, hadn't insisted again with her since he came to wake her up in her room, but Hanna had perfectly felt that he has understood that something was wrong.

She said to herself to text Caleb more than once, but then she thought that she didn't know what to say. What she could have said him after he and her boyfriend have friendly talked sitting accross a bar counter? What she could have said him when she loved him to death but she couldn't leave Dave for him? What she could have said him when the night before she was into his arms and the next day she spent most of the day with Dave? All of this questions' flow was blocked by Brit entering in the room, who was exiting the bathroom.

"Han, how was the dinner?" she said.

"Good, thanks."

"So you chose Dave?"

Hanna snorted and climbed on the bed.

"I have no idea." she murmured, when she knew that her heart had all the answers she needed.

But she didn't have the courage to look inside herself. Because if she did it, she clearly noticed the fact that the feeling she had for Caleb was pure love, while that for Dave was just affection. But she didn't want to turn her back at Dave. Because Dave had helped her to get up after an awful fall, from which she really thought she couldn't get up anymore, never, and she couldn't do this to him. Even because she feared that if she broke his heart, he would have fallen again in temptation with his demon, the alcohol addiction. Hanna knew what meant 'broken heart'; right this had thrown her for the second time into the bulimia's abyss, her demon. And she didn't want that the same thing happened to Dave, because he cared of him and the last thing she wanted was hurting him. Nor _that_ much.

"What can you say about the roses?" Brit continued.

Hanna sighed again, biting her lip.

"I went to Times Square with Calvin yesterday, and... And he bought them for me."

"What a romantic guy..." Brit said, with a dreamy expression.

"Okay, Brit. No more questions, I have to Skype with the girls or they'll kill me!"

"Don't worry, I'm gonna go straight to bed, I'm exhausted." Brit smiled, then she lied on her bed.

* * *

"We have the honour of having Hanna with us tonight..." Spencer started.

Hanna, Spencer, Aria and Emily were all four together on a Skype videocall, from three differents placed, since Spencer and Aria shared the same room at the UPenn.

"Yes, you guys have this honour." the blonde said, motioning a smile.

"It's obviously Dave's romantics dinners' fault if you give us such a little importance lately, not study or pc's problems..." Aria said.

"Actually, between Dave and me things aren't going too well anymore." Hanna admitted, even though she didn't want to reveal the real reason, or at least not yet.

"Why, Han?" Emily asked.

"Well, it's just not like before between us."

"Did you guys break up?" Spencer asked.

"No, things aren't going well, but I would never do this to him..."

"Yeah, because if it wasn't for him, you would still be crying over Caleb..." Aria blurted out.

Hanna froze and bited her lip, closing herself in a deep silence and lowering her gaze.

"Aria, slow down..." Emily said, knowing the girl was touching still one of Hanna's weak points.

"No, it's fine, just... I'd rather avoid to mention him, okay?" Hanna continued.

"Sorry, Han, I didn't want to..." Aria apologized, before being interrupted right by Hanna.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. But tell me how are you guys doing now!"

At that sentence, Hanna attached a smile. And the girls started distracting her with their chat.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if this wasn't a very dynamical chapter and there wasn't any Haleb interaction, but I have to give the right space to everything in the story, so even to Dave, even though I know he's not one of your favorite characters (neither one of mine!) :) Anyway, I hope you liked the short appeareance of the other three liars (of course they will be again in the future) ;) ...So, let me know your thoughts about everything :) I'm really glad to read your opinions... Thanks to sarahschneider2012, OceanSky9, britneymartina, treaanne (don't worry, you don't have to apologize^^), p3paranoid1329, Smileyface2508, and all the lovely guests who left some words to this story! I'm really happy to see that's appreciated :) The next chapter will be... Uhm, let's say "wow" ;) I'll update ASAP! Love you guys! xx -Atramea.**


	11. Chapter 11

**_"Settle down with me, cover me up, cuddle me in, lie down with me, hold me in your arms. And your heart's against my chest, lips pressed to my neck..."_**

**_[Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran]_**

It was half past eleven pm, and Caleb was in his room, working with his pc, with the usual Norton's stuff. But, just like the previous night, he actually wasn't doing anything. And the reason was the same of the previous night. Caleb rubbed his eyes and sighed. He thought about his morning chat with Dave. About that guy's smile when he talked about Hanna. How he could blame him, he had the most special girl in the world beside him. Caleb hadn't seen her in basically twenty-four hours, and he felt like he was going crazy. He desperately needed to see her. That's why he convinced himself to text her. He would have wanted to show up at her room's door, but she, unlikely him, had a roommate, and that roommate had also kinda a crush on him. So he texted her, eager.

_**Caleb - 11:36 pm; **__I need to see you, I wanna stay a little time with you. Can I come to your room? Please..._

He sent impulsively, without reading a second time, hoping that Hanna was still awake, may thinking about him. He remained motionless on the bed, cross-legged, waiting for a reply. But time was passing, and the reply didn't come.

It was five to midnight by now. Caleb sighed again. She might didn't want to see him anymore, she might did understand that being with Dave was the right thing for her, even though it wasn't what she really wanted. Because Caleb knew that Hanna was in love with him and not with Dave, even if she didn't tell him. But he knew it well.

He sombrely lied on the bed, staring at the ceiling, while his mobile was sadly silent.

His mobile was silent, but not the door.

A delicate fist knocked against his door. _That_ delicate fist.

Caleb jumped off the bed, and opened the door without thinking twice.

And it was really Hanna.

Caleb largely smiled at her, then making her space to make her in. Hanna came in silently, biting her lower lip. The fact that Caleb, just like his usual, had on just a pair of pajama pants, always made her a certain effect. Caleb closed the door and sat on the bed, signaling at Hanna to do the same. It was right her the one who started talking.

"There was Brit, so I thought it was better for me to come to you..."

"You can come here whenever you want, don't worry."

Hanna smiled, then Caleb continued.

"I really needed to see you, I... I hope I haven't bothered you, and..."

Hanna interrupted him.

"If you have bothered me, I wouldn't be here now. I wanted to see you too, Caleb."

Caleb took one of her hands.

"Did Dave tell you that we've met this morning?" he continued.

"Yes, he did. He also saw your roses, but I gave the fault to Brit." Hanna replied, letting go a smirk.

"You really did it?" Caleb smiled back.

Hanna nodded.

"The usual joker." he playfully sighed.

"What?" she said, raising her eyebrows signaling astonishment.

"Don't play dumb... You were and you still are the joker of always, Marin..." Caleb sneered.

"And you're still the usual cheeky, Rivers..." Hanna replied, challengely grinning.

"Oh, really?" Caleb said, before pouncing on Hanna to tickle her sides.

Hanna loudly laughed, kicking to try to escape from Caleb's grasp. But he was stronger, and he throw her back on the mattress, keeping tickling her. Both of them were joyfully laughing, lying on the bed, having fun like kids.

But Caleb stopped when he found himself with the body pushed against Hanna's, and with her face far from his just a few inches. Both of them stopped laughing and they intensely looked in each other's eyes. Hanna swallowed, as she felt Caleb's hands caressing her hips, tracing the lines of her haunches with his fingers. He then lowered his gaze a little, on the modest neckline of her shirt, couldn't help but letting himself go to delightful memories and sinful thoughts. With strength, then, Hanna took advantage of Caleb's distraction to turn him over on the mattress, making sure that this time she was on him.

"Never let your guard down with me..." she whispered, laughing.

Caleb smiled and started rubbing her back with both of his hands, making them slowly slither up and down. Hanna placed a hand through his hair, then making her index finger slip down to his forehead, so to his nose, until reached his lips. Caleb parted them and gently bited Hanna's index, making her laugh, and he laughed as well, then he left the delicate grasp on the finger.

Hanna returned serious and looked at him, paralyzed, while Caleb's hands kept rubbing her back. Hanna could feel Caleb's heart pulsing against her chest. She could feel his abs' dunes rigid against her belly. She could feel all the warmth of his body. And she soon felt a sudden warmth, too. A blaze of warmth inebriated her senses, making her lose the control of everything, making her forget about everything, making her heart take an unnatural pace, unbelievable, so much that she had the impression it could have ended up breaking her chest.

She knew that cocky chocolate gaze, she knew that tonic body, she knew the pure smell of musk and saltiness imprinted on that sallow skin. And in that moment she just knew that she was feeling the need, along with the very strong desire, to indulge to him just like once, totally. To his body, to his smell, to his taste, to his warmth. She wanted Caleb. She wanted him in an absurd way, in a way she hadn't felt before from the moment she had found him again. But that she has always unconsciously had.

His hands felt the warmth of her skin even through the dark material of her shirt. They were moving slowly and cautiously, while Hanna felt her body indulge to shivers, and she had goosebumps by now.

Caleb was her shiver, her favorite shiver.

Caleb then lifted a little his head to reach Hanna's neck. He placed his lips on it and parted them to kiss it, slowly, with sweetness. God, how much he missed that skin. Hanna closed her eyes and slightly sighed, throwing her head back. God, how much she missed those lips. She loved how he knew to move them against her body. She loved _that_ warmth against her skin. He left a long trail of kisses all around her neck, slowly, and Hanna thought she could have gone crazy for how much she was enjoying how Caleb was touching and kissing her. His moustaches were slightly tickling her skin, and this made everything even more pleasant. She was motionless, with her hands on Caleb's chest, while his ones slithered with delicacy down all her back, slowly making their way lower, to be eventually placed on her perfect and linear butt. She had the nth shiver, and she bited her lip, while Caleb stopped kissing her neck and looked at her in the eyes, which Hanna had still closed though. But when she felt that Caleb wasn't kissing her neck anymore, she opened them and she found his face in front of her. She lost herself in his eyes, with their lips close, _very_ close.

Caleb looked at her seriously, and he could feel Hanna's hot breath dashing in a tempting way against his lips. He wanted her too, and he wanted her desperately. He wanted to rip that shirt and those leggins off her without thinking more and bask of her hidden beauty like once, he couldn't hold back himself anymore. Her icy eyes which hid all of her enourmous passion, her sweet scent, the softness of her curves, her smooth and candid skin, her fleshy and provocative lips, moistened by a light layer of lip gloss which, judging by the smell, it probably was of strawberry taste. All of this was really stoning him, his blood was angrily pulsing against every angle of his body like it was claiming the strong desire of having her back after all that time, and now Hanna was there, dangerously close to him. Their noses were touching, and their lips were really about to do the same.

So he lowered his gaze on Hanna's mouth, draft, ajar, close to panting. He then returned to look at her in the eyes, blue and deep, catching her looking at his mouth as well. Hanna then returned to look at him in the eyes, as her hands were lowering and raising with Caleb's chest, at the pace of his slightly accelerated breath. The desire of kissing was very strong in both of them, they felt their lips attracting each other's inevitably, like magnets.

Caleb leaned in a little more, determinated to eliminate that distance, which was more a _proximity_ than a distance by now. And Hanna moved like that as well, to make their lips met halfway, to satisfy that irrepressible desire, but suddenly she blocked herself and pulled away. She slipped off Caleb's slight grasp and she moved away from his body, then from the bed.

"Caleb, I... It's better for me to go." she muttered, fixing her hair with her hands.

Caleb got up from the bed as well and nodded with resignation.

"It's because of Dave that you don't let yourself go, isn't it?" he added, sighing.

"I have to go." she simply replied, before going out of Caleb's room closing the door behind her.

And he didn't do anything to stop her, because it would have been useless. Because he knew what kind of situation she was in. Because he couldn't claim anything from her. Because he loved her and he would have waited all the time it was necessary.

* * *

Hanna came back in her room running, not even knowing why. Upon she entered the room, she slightly closed the door behind her back, careful not to wake Brit up. She quickly slipped in her pajama and she lied under the blankets, in a fetal position. She pulled her knees against her belly and closed her eyes.

She thought back about what had happened a few minutes earlier. She thought about the frantic pleasure which Caleb could still give her even just slightly touching her. And she thought that what she had felt a little time before was the exact opposite of the disgusting feeling which she had felt that morning with Dave. She loved Caleb, and she knew it. And she wanted him, exactly just like years before. The sparkle between them was more alive than ever. And that uncontrollable physical attraction was the same they had always had. Hanna couldn't even explain to herself how the hell she could have been able to escape from it, because she wanted to kiss Caleb, she insanely wanted it. But she knew _why_ she had escaped from it. For Dave. He couldn't hurt him that way. Maybe because in Dave she found an old and naive herself, and she didn't want to break his heart because she knew how much it was painful. And no, he didn't deserve it.

On the other hand, Hanna was aware also of the fact that if she had gave in to the very strong temptation of kissing Caleb, they would have gone straight on, of course. It would have flared up a passion fire, which would have sent to the hell good intentions, promises, and everything else. Because when they were together, everything was amplified, and everything became uncontrollable. It wasn't just a magnetic physical attraction, it was something so much more damn strong.

It was an insane love.

In that moment, drowning in her thoughts, Hanna became totally aware that between her and Caleb wasn't changed anything. They loved each other of a love too strong to can be appeased, calmed down. It had always been like that and it would have always been like that. Hanna couldn't have ever done anything.

So, if she really wanted not to hurt Dave, she just would have had to stay away from Caleb.

* * *

**A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Hahaha :) Did you guys think they would have kissed, didn't you? Well, no :P You can hate me of course, I can perfectly understand ;) It wasn't the moment, or maybe just not YET :P Anyway I loved writing this, I loved turning things between them way heated... Even if there wasn't a kiss (maybe right because of this), I find this chapter really hot and "wow" like I said, so I hope you guys liked it though :) There was such a sexual tension OMG ^^ Let me know what do you think of this chapter, PLEASE, I'm so so so curious to know, so if you leave a review I'll be really really glad :) I'm probably gonna be a little bit late to publish the next chapter 'cause I have to do an exam (well, it's the last, so then I'll be free till September thanks God) so I already apologize for it... But I'll be back as soon as possible, promise! Oh, for britneymartina who asked if Hanna's gonna tell anyone who's Caleb, well... Yes, no, I don't know ;) You'll find out! But I wanna spoiler you guys that in the next chap Molly is back and you're probably gonna hate her ;) ...Thank you for your reviews so far and for having read again! Keep reviewing, you give me motivations to go on ;) Love you guys, have a nice week! xx -Atramea.**


	12. Chapter 12

**_"Now my baby is dancing, but she's dancing with another man. Although it hurts, I'll be the first to say that I was wrong. Oh, I know I'm probably much too late to try and apologize for my mistakes."_**

**_[When I Was Your Man - Bruno Mars]_**

Caleb didn't force anything for the whole next week. He had obviously understood that Hanna was avoiding him since the night they've been about to kiss, and even though it was hurting him, he accepted it. He didn't want to be an imposition to her. He had made it clear his feelings to her, and obviously the fact that he wanted to come back with her, and he also knew it was the same for her. But she wasn't ready to accept it yet. He had also sent her a couple of text trying to escape from that awkwardness, but Hanna never replied to them, so in a certain sense he stepped aside, waiting, silent, in a corner.

They were seeing each other in the classes, they shooted glances, but Hanna was always elusive and she forced herself to remain indifferent in front of Caleb. '_For Dave'_ she was saying to herself. But she could just _play_ indifferent. She could have hidden her feelings from anybody, maybe, but she surely couldn't hide them from herself. She knew she couldn't have been indifferent around him, she knew it even when she had taken the decision of avoiding Caleb. Avoiding him wouldn't have taken her not to loving him, of course. Anything, it might was torturing her even more. But she was trying with all herself to secede from him. But who she wanted to trick, if she wouldn't have been able to smother that love neither after not having had any minimum contact with him for two years? How could she claim that she could do it when she had to see him basically everyday? How could she claim it when she was in love with him? '_For Dave'_.

But it wasn't a satisfactory reason. It wouldn't have been anything satisfactory enough to deny to herself the reality: the love for Caleb.

* * *

A few days later, the NYU made a party in a local of the centre. It was a night organized by the college, where anybody could take part of it, along with the students. Hanna would have obviously gone to it, and Brit and Dave as well. And Caleb? He wasn't a party guy, but he wanted to go because he would have bet everything on the fact that Hanna would have been there too. And even though they weren't exactly in an awesome situation since she barely looked at him, he would have been happy even just watching her from a corner. Even if the fact he couldn't touch her was killing him. Even if she would have been there with her boyfriend, probably. Even if Caleb wouldn't have had anyone to spend the night with. He wanted to be there because Hanna was all that mattered to him. He wouldn't have annoyed her, he would have remained aside watching her. And yeah, hoping she might decided to talk to him after more than a week of silence.

* * *

Hanna was sitting on a barstool around the counter, together with Dave and Brit. They were drinking something, and they were talking in the ears because of the loud music. Hundred of guys were dancing on the dancefloor, stormed. Someone was lying on the little bar couches, drunk and half-asleep, someone was making out, someone was smoking in the smokers zone. There was a big chaos.

Caleb came in the local, and he immediately felt untimely. He made his way through the crowd and he sat on one of the counter's barstools, ordering a Cosmopolitan. He sighed and looked all around him, searching for Hanna, of course. But there was really too many people to notice where she could have been. He didn't even have the certainty that she was in there, even if he felt he wasn't wrong. The bartender gave him his cocktail, so Caleb started drinking it, slowly, with little sips, keeping scanning the local.

Hanna was tapping her fingers on the counter, making an imperceptible noise against the top, imperceptible due to the deafening music. Her cocktail was finished. Dave and Brit were chatting about some TV show, as she was watching the guys dancing, absent-mindedly. She was thinking about the few times she had gone to the disco with Caleb, when they were dating. They had gone there a very few times, and for all those times, they had paid the entrance without a real reason, since they had always ended the night kissing against the toilets' walls. And that was something they could have perfectly done home without any problem, more comfortably, saving some dollars and the disturb of getting ready to go out.

Hanna smiled at that thought.

"Babe, is everything okay?" Dave asked, with care.

Hanna turned around and smiled at him, nodding, so Dave told her he would have gone a moment to the toilet. Hanna remained with Brit sitting there, with the head full of thoughts.

"You're still sure of the choice you've made, aren't you?" Brit asked.

Hanna had hinted her the fact she was avoiding 'Calvin' because she truly felt she couldn't turn her back at Dave, and Brit had just replied that she should have done what she felt.

"I think I haven't chosen anything at all..." Hanna sighed.

"Well, you haven't been in touch with Calvin for a while..."

"Yeah, but I don't hide you the fact that I think about him often."

Brit sighed, then she made a disapproval verse, looking not so far from where they were.

"What's up?" Hanna said.

"There's that jerk of Norton's assistant, a few barstools further."

Hanna froze and shyly turned her head, catching Caleb drinking what looked like a Cosmopolitan. Not only at the college, she had to see him even at the parties now.

"Why 'jerk'? I thought you were crazy for him..." Hanna said, lowering her gaze to avoid that Caleb noticed her.

Brit didn't tell her of their little argument of the previous week yet.

"A few days ago, Molly and I have offered him a coffee, and he said it wasn't the case. So Molly apologized saying she obviously couldn't know he was already taken, and he said he was single, but he added he had someone to think about before sleeping. He made the precious, you understand? So please... From that moment, for me he went from 'hottie' to 'jerk'."

Hanna bited her lip.

"Did he say that?" she asked.

"Yes, he did." Brit simply replied.

Hanna sighed, looking at Caleb.

"Why?" Brit said again.

Hanna shrugged, she didn't know how to reply.

"C'mon, let's go dancing... Dave'll reach us later!" Brit said, taking her by an arm.

Hanna tried to decline the proposal, but as soon as she could realize she was already on the dancefloor with an excited Brit. The idea of coming closer to Caleb came up to her mind, but Hanna kept herself faithful to her purpose of avoiding him, again.

Caleb was lost in his Cosmopolitan, searching for Hanna's eyes through the crowd, but not finding her. But suddenly, he saw Dave. He was exiting the local's toilet, and Caleb followed him with the gaze, aware that he would have conducted him to Hanna. And that was. She was on the dancefloor, with Brit, and as soon as Dave arrived, he wrapped his arms to her waist and the two started dancing. Close, very close. In Caleb's opinion, _too_ close. Caleb kept looking towards them, as he threw down his cocktail with just one long sip, asking for another immediately after. It hugely annoyed him, in an inexplicable way. He felt his whole body burning at the sight of someone else touching Hanna, when he couldn't, anymore. It was a torture, nevertheless he kept watching Dave's hands roaming down Hanna's whole perfect body. And he asked for more and more alcohol where he could drown his pain.

Hanna was dancing with Dave, even though his hands on her body weren't giving her any pleasure. She felt unsuitable there, stuck to whom was her boyfriend though, and she forced herself to feel suitable, exactly because was Dave the one who was touching her. And not someone else. Hanna didn't dare to turn around towards Caleb, and she hoped with all her heart that he hadn't noticed her. She let Dave hold her, trying not to think about anything but having fun. But no, the truth was that she wasn't having fun at all.

After some minutes of alcohol and tortures, Caleb wasn't sober anymore. He had the sight tarnished, and the barstool where he was leaning by felt unstable to him. He was keeping throwing down cocktails and cocktails, as his eyes remained stuck on Dave and Hanna.

"Hey, you all alone?" a voice behind him said.

Caleb quickly turned around, so he hardly recognized Molly's figure. He smiled at her like an idiot, then he turned around and drank the nth glass. Molly didn't say anything and sat next to him, taking a tequila shot.

"Wrong night?" she continued.

"Pretty much." Caleb replied, letting go a strong alcohol smell at those words.

Molly immediately understood that he wasn't completely conscious. She threw down her shot and she continued.

"Are you drinking to forget?"

"Maybe."

"It's for the person you think about before sleeping, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

"You know, you should stop drinking."

"And you should mind your own business." Caleb blurted out, before ordering another cocktail.

"Well, I'd have better ways to make you forget..." she replied, with a sexy voice.

She stretched a hand and she placed it on Caleb's thigh. He smiled and shook his head.

"What do you want, Molly?" he added.

"So you remember my name..." she replied, approaching her face to his neck.

"Yes, I do remember it..." Caleb replied, approaching his lips to Molly's ear.

She blowed against his neck, and Caleb felt a shiver down his spine. He closed his eyes and pursed his lips, inhaling her sweetish perfume.

"Do you wanna dance?" she asked, scratching her nails against the material of Caleb's trousers.

He was so drunk that he imagined there was Hanna beside him. A bulge pushed against his jeans' crotch, accomplice the alcohol, the imagination, and the lust of that provocative girl, whom wasn't ugly at all.

Molly noticed Caleb's arousal and chuckled.

"Looks like you don't exactly want to dance, isn't true?" she continued.

Caleb laughed and let his face fall on her shoulder. She got up and dragged with her a staggering Caleb on the dancefloor, just a few steps far from Dave, Hanna and Brit. Right Brit noticed them, clinging, doing something more similar to rubbing their bodies against each other than dancing. Brit, instead, was dancing with a curly-haired guy just met, but Dave and Hanna were right beside her. Brit turned around and tapped on Hanna's shoulder, whom approached her to know what she wanted to say.

"Molly and the jerk are socializing!" Brit chuckled, pointed at the two not far from them.

Hanna immediately moved her gaze to the point Brit has indicated, and she felt very bad when she saw Caleb stuck to Molly, with his hands so lower than her back and his face buried in her hair. Close, very close. In Hanna's opinion, _too_ close. Caleb hardly lifted his head from where it was, and he looked at Hanna as well.

They finally looked in each others' eyes, both of them into someone else's arms, and both of them felt a very strong jealousy pulsing in their veins. But Caleb looked at her challengingly, like he wanted her to know that he was punishing her because she had avoided him, even though he could do it just because he was drunk till his bones. And Hanna looked at him with sadness, because she immediately understood that he was drunk, and he was drunk because she was avoiding him for several days by now. She would have wanted to escape from Dave's greedy grasp, ran to where Caleb was and took him off that idiot of Molly's arms, whom Hanna had never found nice. But it would have been the nth mistake. She had to avoid Caleb, she was doing it, and she couldn't derail everything because she was jealous. Because yeah, she was jealous. And the fact that Molly was clearly taking advantage of Caleb's total drunkness, kept decreasing the regard which Hanna had towards her. She bited her lip and kept staring at Caleb's alcohol-bright eyes, whom didn't move his gaze from Hanna as well.

That game of glances and provocations lasted until Caleb didn't escape from Molly's clutches to run to the toilet, feeling the need of throwing up even his guts. Hanna noticed it and whispered into Dave's ear that she had to pee, so she slinked to the local's toilets to find Caleb. Molly remained in the middle of the dancefloor like a kid whom has just saw her ice-cream stolen right from her hands, so Brit approached her to talk. Dave, instead, found one of his buddies through the crowd and he started chatting with him, sure of the fact that Hanna would have soon come back to him.

* * *

**A/N: First of all, I'm really sorry for the late, but I told you, exams are on my way :( A huge thank you to the guest who reviewed last time leaving also a "good luck" :) btw I'm so happy you liked the previous "wow" chapter :):) ...Now, talking about this one... Yeah, sorry for the little cliffhanger :) Molly, what a bitch! See? Haha I'm really curious to read your opinions about her, especially the one of that guest who last time suggested she and Dave have to jump off a cliff... You seriously made me laugh :D for britneymartina who asked when Hanna's gonna realize she can't keep herself away from Caleb... Well, she already knows it, she just need time to take some decisions ;) Oookay, so... Next chap you'll see a sweet drunk Caleb :) but I don't wanna spoiler you too much ;) ...But what about the stills from PLL#505?! Okay, I had to puke when I saw those with Hanna and Travis but then... My Caleb *-* And those where Haleb-holding-hands? I was fangirling like I had, I don't know, Pharrell Williams in my house hahaha :) Okay, by the way I'll try my best to update soon! You know, I have this freaking History exam on Wednesday, but then I'll be free and I can update faster, I promise :) Thanks to everyone who left a review, you guys rock, and I hope you keep doing it! Kisses to everyone of you! Love! xx -Atramea.**


	13. Chapter 13

**_"I'm looking for a place, I'm searching for a face, is there anybody here I know? 'Cause nothing's going right, and everything's a mess, and no one likes to be alone. Isn't anyone trying to find me? Won't someone come take me home? It's a damn cold night, trying to figure out this life. Won't you take me by the hand? Take me somewhere new. I don't know who you are, but I, I'm with you."_**

**_[I'm With You - Avril Lavigne]_**

Hanna was about to fall several times, since she ran with a pair of heels not exactly comfortable to walk to the local's toilets. Upon entered, she found Caleb throwing up in one of the two sink at the entrance. She quickly came closer to him and she took off the little hair which was hanging down his face. It wasn't the first time they were like that, even if most of the times the rules were inverted. Hanna sighed and waited for Caleb to finish, so she helped him to stand up.

"How do you feel?" she murmured, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders, making sure he could have a support.

"Fabulous..." Caleb mumbled, still deeply stoned by his drunkness.

Hanna sighed and lifted her eyes to the ceiling, so she suddenly took a decision. She walked with Caleb towards the local's back exit, far from prying eyes, and she took a cab. She texted Dave, searching for a good excuse.

_**Hanna - 1:56 am; **__My mom didn't feel well, I had to run away. Don't worry, it's nothing too bad. I'll call you tomorrow._

So, Hanna turned off her phone, to avoid that Dave harassed her with calls and texts. She turned to Caleb, who was laughing with himself like an idiot, with the forehead smashed against the cab's window.

"Where are we going?" she asked then, between the laughters.

"To my mom's house." Hanna replied, sighing.

"Are you sure she'll be happy to see me?"

"She's not home, she's in Cali for a work business. She's coming back in three days."

Dave was obviously unaware of the fact that Ashley was out of town.

"Why did you take me away?" Caleb mumbled.

"To make sure you wouldn't have screwed that slut, for example." Hanna growled, conscious that Caleb wouldn't have remembered anything of that.

"You were having much fun too, baby..."

Hanna sighed again.

"So if she's in Cali, it means that your mother's out of jail..." Caleb continued.

That sentence made Hanna understand that Caleb was still completely drunk. Her mother was out of her luckily short period in Rosewood's prison since almost three years, by now.

"Yes, she's out."

"So that shave-haired buddy has made his work..."

"You mean Travis?" Hanna asked.

"Yeah, Travis. He stole me some bucks, but I'm glad it was useful to bring your mom back home..."

Hanna raised her eyebrows.

"What are you talking about, Caleb?" she added.

"That idiot had eventually taken a step back... He was freaking out and he was saying that he couldn't recognize your mother, that he wasn't totally sure... I got nervous, so I told him 'Don't do bullshit and make my girlfriend's mom come back home!', and I gave him some bills. Looks like his memory refreshed by the money..."

Hanna's blood froze in her veins. Caleb had paid Travis to make her mother come back home. And she had never known about it. Neither from Caleb, nor from Travis. Yeah, her mother was really innocent since the detective Wilden was murdered by Cece Drake, but Travis didn't exonerate her on his own initiative. It was Caleb who made him do it. Hanna thought about how much Travis had been a jerk with her not saying anything about that thing. That guy had also had a crush on her, and he hadn't even had the courage of admitting he's been a coward at the police station and that he had taken money from Caleb. And Caleb, well, he had never told her because he had done it to make her happy, and most of the times he didn't wanna take the merit of it. For him, it just mattered to see her smile, and everything was fine. Hanna smiled, saying to herself that she would have asked him everything when he would have been sober, because they would have definitely had to talk about his act, though.

"Why are you smiling?" Caleb asked.

"Nothing, don't mind about it." Hanna replied, dodge.

"You're even more beautiful when you smile..."

Hanna bited her lip and lowered her gaze, embarassed by a comment so simple but also so sweet.

"I was dancing with that girl because I couldn't dance with you... You're more beautiful than her, you know? And you also have a better smell... I don't like her, but you... I like you... So much, actually..." Caleb kept mumbling, making Hanna giggle.

* * *

The cab came to destination, so Hanna paid and got out of it, then helped Caleb to get out as well, so she dragged him with her towards the house.

"Are we gonna make love?" Caleb chuckled, as Hanna was placing her keys in the lock.

"No." she snorted, opening the door.

They took some steps, so Hanna made Caleb lying on the couch.

"You just need to sleep now. You'll have a little headache tomorrow, but then you'll feel better. I haven't the spare room, so you go for the couch. I leave you this bin on the floor, in case you have to throw up. And if you need something, yell, fine?" Hanna said, well scanning every word trying to make everything the most comprensible she could.

"No, stay here..." Caleb mumbled, whining.

Hanna ignored him and walked to the stairs, wanting to go to her bedroom.

"Please... Don't go... I need you..." Caleb said again.

Hanna sighed and came back. She couldn't leave him there alone, Caleb drunk was indescribable cute. So she came to the living room and crossed her arms to her chest, looking at Caleb quizzically.

"Come here, close to me..." he murmured, with the eyes half-shut.

Hanna lifted her eyes to the ceiling, but she eventually decided to satisfy Caleb, also because she didn't want to hear him whining anymore. But that, actually, was the last reason why Hanna decided to approach him. She lifted his head with delicacy, so she sat on the couch and made him replace his head on her lap. Caleb immediately grabbed one of her hands, while Hanna, with the other, stroked his hair, watching him fighting to keep his eyelids open.

"Sleep, Caleb..." Hanna whispered, holding his brown strands between her fingers.

"No... I wanna look at you a little longer..." he murmured, motioning a smile.

Hanna smiled back at that smile which, even though it was half-made, melted her heart.

"Hanna..." Caleb whispered, half-asleep by now.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Hanna bent down to kiss him on the forehead.

"I love you too, Caleb..." she added whispering, knowing that Caleb wouldn't have remembered anything of what they told to each other that night.

"Will you marry me?" Caleb mumbled again.

Hanna sighed and bited her lip. She blushed too, but Caleb was too stoned to notice it. She just nodded, keeping stroking his hair. And Caleb, then, indulge to the sleep, with a smile on his lips.

* * *

Caleb woke up with a very strong headache. He had to rub his eyes for about ten minutes before he could see where he was. He realized he was on the couch of an house, with a blanket on him, but he was sure he had never been in that house before. He started putting together the fuzzy pieces of his memories about the previous night, but he remembered a very few things: the party, the music, and Hanna held by Dave. Nothing else. He immediately understood he had got epically plastered, and the strong hangover he was feeling was the clearest confirmation of it. He groaned because of the pain, so from the door of which must be the kitchen, got out anybody but Hanna.

"Good morning..." she said, without too excitement.

"Hanna?" he said incredulous, jumping off the couch.

She came closer to the couch and handed him a cup of coffee.

"It's bitter, but it's gonna help you with the headache." she added.

"Thank you." he said, before drinking the coffee.

Caleb made a contempt face due to the bitter taste, but he drank all of it, knowing it was for his sake. He placed the empty cup on the small table in front of the couch and he returned to look at Hanna, who had remained standing there.

"What happened?" he asked then, confused.

"You were at the NYU's party and you ended up drunk. You were kinda 'dancing' with Molly when you ran to the toilet to throw up all the alcohol you had in your body, and... Nothing, I came to you and I made you got out from the back exit, but then I thought that if I had taken you back to the college in that condition, your reputation of assistant could have been compromised, and many students could have noticed you, so... I took you here to my mother's house." Hanna said, shrugging.

"Oh my God, don't tell me that Ashley saw me..." Caleb started, but Hanna interrupted him.

"She's not here, and she wasn't here last night either."

"Good, you know, I wouldn't want that she accidentally notices my abusive presence in her walls once again..." he said, smiling remembering the past things about it.

A smile escaped to Hanna as well, for the same reason, but then she immediately returned serious.

"Hanna, why are you avoiding me?" Caleb asked then, with decision.

Hanna sighed, lowering her gaze.

"I need to take the distances, Caleb." she added.

"Why?"

"Because I know that when I'm with you I could do things which I could regret..."

"That night at Times Square I told you that maybe it was better not gonna see each other, if you were fine with Dave... I told you that I was gonna step aside, but you asked me not to do it... And we also told each other that we would have acted as Hanna and Caleb, like it's natural for us, and... Well, Hanna, if for us it's natural wanna kiss, and most of all if it's natural for you, you might have to understand that with Dave there's something wrong." Caleb replied.

Hanna remained motionless, without knowing what to say, so Caleb continued.

"Running away from me won't take you to anything but feeling even worse, Hanna."

Hanna bited her lip and tried to change the topic.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that you've paid Travis to make sure he exonerated my mother?"

Caleb felt displaced.

"Who told you?"

"You. You know, you have much to talk about when you're drunk."

Caleb took a deep breath, then he replied.

"There was no need for you to know it. The day Travis went to witness, he was very nervous. He knew that from his statements was depending a whole court case, plus about a murder, and... And when he had to recognize your mother between the others women prisoners to exonerate her, he felt blocked and he asked the cops for a break. You were at the phone with Aria, and I noticed him drinking a coffee, so I thought he already did everything and I approached him. But when I talked to him, he told me he couldn't do it, and he might couldn't even have done his witness, because he suddenly wasn't sure anymore about what he had seen the night of Wilden's murder. It was clearly the pressure and the agitation that were tarnishing his mind. I begged him to strive, but he was like totally blocked, and... And I thought about how much you would have suffered knowing that was the nth failure to save your mother. I didn't want you to suffer again, especially in that day where everybody felt like was just a step far from the happy ending. Hanna, I... I didn't know how to make him reason, how to convince him that he just had to tell the truth, and... And I gave him some money. I begged him to do the right thing, and I came back to you. And with a last gaze, I saw Travis came back in and I hoped he was gonna do the right thing. And thank godness, he did it."

Hanna sighed, so she sat on the couch, next to him.

"Has he ever given you the money back?"

"No, but I don't care anything about that stupid money."

"How much was it?"

"Hanna, don't..."

Hanna interrupted him.

"Caleb, tell me how much was it."

"Seven hundred bucks. It was all I had in my wallet."

Hanna sighed again, before restarting.

"Caleb, you didn't have to do it... You couldn't be certain that my mother was innocent, and..."

This time, Caleb interrupted her.

"Of course I was. And you were, too. And in fact, she wasn't guilty at the end. Besides, Travis told the truth. The woman he has seen that night was your mother, he just had to get out of that tense status he fell in at the police station."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because you would have got mad. And there was no need for you to know it, I told you."

"I can't believe neither him ever told me anything..."

"Travis? Why should he have?"

Hanna bited her lip, before replying.

"After you left me, I tried to... He was kind to me, and..."

Caleb raised his eyebrows.

"Did you have an affair with him?" he asked then.

"It can't be defined 'affair'. Actually, I ended it before it really started. I tried to forget you with him. It was a replacement attempt poorly failed. I've used him, and I blame myself for that. But it's the truth. It was a second-best."

"What a jerk, he has stolen me seven hundred dollars and also the girlfriend..." Caleb mumbled.

Hanna gave him a disapponted glance because of his indelicacy, so Caleb returned serious.

"Other replacement attempts? If you don't mind me ask..." he said then.

"Well, don't laugh, but... I kissed officer Holbrook." Hanna admitted.

"Holbrook?" Caleb exclaimed, incredulous.

"Okay, he was kind to me too, besides it can't be denied that he had this kind of uniform charm, but... Even this attempt has poorly failed. In even less time than Travis."

Caleb nodded.

"I don't blame you, Hanna. You had all the right of it." he added.

Hanna didn't say anything, keeping her gaze low.

"And then has come Dave?" Caleb asked again.

"Then has come my depression, in which I believed that throwing up food, I could throw up also the pain and the incompleteness sense you gave me leaving... And then yeah, has come Dave, giving me some light of hope." Hanna replied.

Caleb nodded again.

"Why did you take me away from the disco? I mean, you didn't have to..." he asked then, perplexed.

"You were in a terrible condition, Caleb. You could barely walk... I couldn't leave you there, also considering the very bad company you had..."

"Molly?"

"Yeah. She would have taken you straight to her bed."

"So that's why you took me away..." Caleb teased.

"Stop it. I did it for you." Hanna blurted out, looking in his eyes.

"Okay." Caleb said, lifting his hands in defense.

He licked his lips, so he asked one more question.

"What did you tell Dave to make him let you go?"

"That my mother needed me. He doesn't know she's out of town."

Caleb nodded, then continued.

"I was going crazy looking at you dancing clinged to Dave, Hanna..."

Hanna sighed, looking to the opposite direction instead of Caleb. For a moment, it came up to her mind to tell him that she was going crazy looking at him with Molly too, but she saved it, even though something made her think that he already knew it.

"You're gonna keep avoiding me, aren't you? It was just an emergency last night, wasn't it? From today we'll come back playing strangers?" Caleb continued.

Hanna sighed once again, unsure of how to reply. Caleb, then, got up from the couch and walked to the door.

"I'd better go." he said, turning around towards Hanna.

She nodded, remaining on the couch with the head between her hands.

"Listen... Did I say something else compromising while I was drunk?" Caleb added.

Hanna smiled thinking back about the impetuous marriage proposal received not so many hours earlier, but she obviously didn't tell him. And she didn't tell him that she confessed to love him too while he was enough stoned not to really be able to understand, either.

"Nothing in particular." she just replied.

"Okay. Well, thank you for... For having looked after me." Caleb smiled.

"You're welcome. For everytime that the rules have been inverted..." Hanna said, shrugging.

Caleb chuckled as he remembered all the nights in Rosewood where he had to take care of a terribly drunk Hanna. But it had always been a huge pleasure for him though.

"So... Goodbye. And when you want, you know where to find me." Caleb concluded, returning serious and opening the door.

Hanna stared at him without saying anything, except for a shy 'bye' upon she had lowered the gaze. So, Caleb exited and closed the door.

Hanna sighed deeply.

She let Caleb go, when she actually would have wanted to keep him there with all herself. She had spent most of the night with his head on her lap, cuddling him and looking him innocently sleeping like a kid. It had passed too much time since she could bask of that image. She loved him, yes, she did love him, and she told him when he couldn't understand it. But Hanna was still firmly attached at her beliefs. She was with Dave now, and she couldn't hurt him to follow her _real_ feelings. She couldn't do it.

* * *

**A/N: First of all, here I wanted to agree with the popular theory of Travis being paid by Caleb to exonerate Ashley... I've always interpreted that glance of Caleb at Travis at the beginning of 4x12 more like a "good job" than a simple "thanks". Oh, and yeah, let's also pretend that the murderer of Wilden is Cece, even if in the show this is not clear yet. So, that being said... I've read your last reviews. I know, I agree with all of you that Hanna's acting wrong staying with Dave when she knows she loves Caleb. She just doesn't want to leave Dave (not yet, at least) because he's a really weak guy and he has just got out his alcohol addiction. Now, since Hanna is a very kind and selfless person, I just thought that she doesn't feel ready to leave him for another guy (yeah, Caleb is not just "another guy" to her, but Dave doesn't know this) knowing what could be his reaction: restarting drinking, plus right because of her. She perfectly knows what an addiction means and she doesn't want to hurt Dave knowing where he's gonna end up. For the "disgust" thing, well, that was just a feeling that Hanna had because in that moment she could just think about Caleb and not about him, I didn't want to say that she's actually disgusted by Dave. She cares of him, she looks out for him, she's grateful to him (even if I'm probably not exactly showing it in the fic... They've been together in the last year when Caleb wasn't in NY yet though) but she doesn't love him because she has always loved Caleb, yeah. That's all. She's probably making everything worse keeping staying with him, of course, I repeat, I TOTALLY agree with you, but all of this is just part of the storyline's drama. I know that you guys want Dave out of the picture so Haleb can get back together (hey, don't get me wrong, I LOVE Haleb so that's what I'd like too!), but you just have to follow the development of the story. I've already finished writing this fic and the Dave thing is one of the main points of the whole story, so I'm very sorry if you find it a little stupid... However I'm obviously not gonna say when Hanna's relationship with Dave actually ends for good, but I can say that in the next chapter Hanna's gonna start making up her mind about this whole Dave/Caleb mess. Anyway I'm happy that you insisted on this, because this means that you're into the fic and this can be just a good thing to me. I appreciate every kind of review, so thank you for this, too ;) I like to talk about my stories with everyone who wants to, I'm always open to every opinion :) I don't know if I've been clear enough because give explications in a language which is not my first is not exactly easy, but I hope you could understand me :) Ooookay, so... What do you guys think about this chapter? Enjoyed sweet drunk Caleb, his proposal, Hanna as his "nurse" and everything? Trea, your idea about Haleb making out in the toilets like they used to do once was really good by the way, and I honestly haven't thought about it until I read your review... Nice, hahaha :) Seriously, thank you guys for all the reviews... They mean a lot to me :) I hope to read your opinions on this chapter too, looking forward to do it :) I'll try my best to update soon... Sorry for the long A/N and have a nice week everyone! Kisses! xx -Atramea.**


	14. Chapter 14

**_"Did I say that I loathe you? Did I say that I want to leave it all behind? I can't take my mind off you."_**

**_[The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice]_**

That weekend, Hanna remained in that house, telling Dave she was out with her mother since she was fine now, so Hanna could have stayed alone. She felt like she had to take some time for herself, even though she had already pretty clear her ideas about what she was feeling and what was right to do. Even if the two things weren't coinciding.

Caleb, instead, worked hard at the projects for Norton, so he didn't allow the thoughts to eat him. Even if it wasn't an effective method.

* * *

The next Monday, Hanna and Caleb saw each other in class. It was a special day, since it was Caleb's birthday. Hanna wanted to give him her birthday wishes, but she didn't know how. She didn't know how to act around him.

Upon the lesson ended and the usual games of glances between the two ended as well, Hanna decided to do something. Brit exited, and Hanna told her she would have reached her in a moment because she had to ask professor Norton something about the exam. It was obviously an excuse. But Brit believed her, and she got out of the classroom without saying anything. Hanna waited for the classroom to be empty enough, so she approached Caleb.

"Hey..." she shyly said, pursing her lips.

"Hey..." he replied, smiling, surprised by Hanna's initiative.

"Happy birthday..." she sputtered.

"Oh, thank you. Only my mother anticipated you with the wishes, congratulations." Caleb replied, winking at her.

There were several moments of silence, then he spoke again.

"I appreciate the fact that you've remembered it, Han." he smiled, innocently caressing her arm.

Hanna blushed at that simply contact, and she shyly lowered her gaze.

"I couldn't forget it..." she mumbled then, embarassed and awfully underpressure in front of Caleb.

They were interrupted by Dave entering the classroom.

"Hanna!" he exclaimed, hurrily walking towards her, worried.

Caleb quickly retired his hand, and Dave held Hanna to himself.

"So, how's Ashley?" he asked again, with much concern in the eyes.

"She's fine, Dave. It was nothing too bad... Besides I told you, we went out together this weekend and, really, I found her okay. Don't worry." Hanna replied, moving a strand of her hair off her face.

"Good..." Dave said, kissing the top of her head.

He then turned to Caleb and stretched his hand towards him.

"Caleb, how are you going?" he added.

Caleb held his hand and let out a smile.

"Great, thanks." he said then.

"You know, Hanna's mother didn't feel well some nights ago, and Hanna had to go away from the NYU's party to go check her... We got really scared!" Dave continued.

"I can imagine." Caleb replied, very embarassed by the situation which he was in.

Hanna had the gaze low. She felt like crap towards Dave.

"You were at the party too, weren't you? I think I've seen you..." Dave continued.

Caleb swallowed before replying, hoping that Dave hadn't noticed the fact that he was totally drunk.

"I just came to see how was organized the party, I didn't stay for too long." he said.

Dave nodded, smiling.

"Hanna is good with you?" he said then.

Caleb felt a hole in his stomach, but then realized that Dave was _obviously_ referring to Hanna's act during the lessons.

"Uhm, yeah. Yes, of course." Caleb, even more embarassed.

"Proud of you!" Dave exclaimed again, turning to Hanna and kissing her on the forehead.

Hanna shyly smiled, so Dave said goodbye.

"We're going, Caleb. It's always a pleasure to see you, I'm still grateful to you for what you did for Hanna."

Caleb nodded.

"No problem, Dave, really." he added.

Dave and Hanna got out of the classroom, holding hands. And Caleb looked at them. He looked at them with bitterness. Dave was a really good guy, but Caleb was deeply in love with Hanna, he couldn't help it, and she was deeply in love with him as well. Dave and Hanna holding hands was a wrong image, an unfair image, a fake image. Dave wasn't aware of that, unfortunately, but Hanna and Caleb were both aware of that.

Because yes, even Hanna started feeling _really_ unsuitable with Dave.

* * *

Caleb returned to his room late that afternoon, and he kept working on Norton's presentations on his pc. Even though, actually, he was spending most of the time staring at the picture he had as his wallpaper.

He heard knocking on his door, and he immediately jump off his bed. Norton was at some convention, it couldn't be him. Just an idea came up to his mind, and he let go a huge smile before opening the door.

But he was wrong.

Behind the door there wasn't Hanna, there was Molly.

"Molly?" Caleb started, raising his eyebrows.

"Were you waiting for someone else?" she replied.

"How do you know my room's number?"

"Oh, let's say I've followed you. So, do you let me in or not?"

"What do you want from me?"

"Don't you think we should talk about Friday night?"

"Actually, no. Molly, I was completely drunk. I don't know what kind of idea you have in your mind about it, but... I'm not interested in you, okay?"

"C'mon, you barely know me, how can you say that?"

"That's the point, I barely know you and that's enough for me. I don't wanna deepen our relationship, sorry."

Molly sighed.

"Please, Caleb. Let me in, I'm gonna take you away just two minutes..." she continued.

Caleb sighed deeply and he signaled her to enter with his head. In the end, nothing happened between them, and she might deserved some explanations about his act.

"Thanks!" Molly said as she entered.

They sat on Caleb's bed. He scratched his head, so he continued.

"So, what do you have to tell me?"

"Well, it's that last Friday... You seemed pretty... Fiery, and..." she replied, placing a hand on Caleb's leg.

But this time, he was sober, and right in that moment, he regretted having let Molly in his room. He shook off her hand and he stood up.

"I've already told you, I was drunk. I'm not interested in you, I'm into another girl and I can assure you that it's not just a crush and that I don't wanna forget her. Neither with you, nor with anybody else. So please, if that's all, get out of here, Molly." he mumbled, pointing at the door.

Molly sighed.

"You're a jerk..." she murmured, standing up and walking to the door.

Caleb didn't reply to her, so he opened the door to let her get out of his room.

But, behind the door, there was somebody who was about to knock.

It was Hanna.

She found Caleb with Molly in front of her. In Caleb's room.

Hanna froze. She replayed the scenes of the two stuck to each other in the local where took place the NYU's party, and she thought that what she had in front of her could be the confirmation of something, something that she didn't like at all. Could it really be what it looked like?

Hanna remained motionless, while Molly got out of the room and unpleasantly smiled at her.

"You're late." she said, as she walked to the other side of the long hallway.

Caleb remained motionless as well.

"Hanna, it's not what it looks like..." he trivially murmured.

"No, Caleb... You... You're free to do whatever you want to, and you don't owe me any explanation... I'm sorry, I don't even know why I came here, I..." Hanna stammered, before running away.

Caleb tried to stop her, he called her loudly to make her come back, but Hanna continued on her way, impassive. And Caleb couldn't notice she had also started crying. Everything happened so quickly, and Caleb cursed himself for having let Molly in his room without any reason or need. He quickly came back in his room and took his phone in his hands, so he texted Hanna.

_**Caleb - 7:04 pm; **__I don't even know why I let her in. I just told her that I'm not interested in her. I swear nothing happened, Hanna. Come back here, please._

He felt guilty even if he didn't anything wrong, even if it didn't happen absolutely anything, but he knew that Hanna hadn't like at all seeing Molly get out of his room with that cocky smirk on her lips. Because Hanna was in love with him, and he knew it very well.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the late :/ Btw I passed my History exam, finally :):) I'll try to update faster now that I'm free ;) I really wanna thank the new story followers and all the reviewers, in particular katiebug87, your words are too kind, thanks a lot ;) so... Finally Hanna takes a step towards Caleb (FINALLY!) and...she sees him with Molly :( I promise you'll forgive me in the next few chapters... In particular the 16th is one of my faves but I can't tell you anything ;) We're very close to a turning of things in the story, a complete turning, and I hope you all will like it what's happening :D For who follows also "The Healer" please forgive me for taking so long to update but the chapter I'm writing is so hard and I'm trying to make it good because I don't wanna disappoint anybody... I'll update soon, I promise :) Okay, as always, I'd love to know your opinions... For everything else of course you can PM me :) I'll update again soon, I have no exams in two months YAYYYY :D Thanks for reading! Love you guys! xx -Atramea.**


	15. Chapter 15

**_"So close to midnight, under the streetlights, leaving behind what I don't need. I walk like a blind man, and my eyes are open, and you are the only place for me. Won't you hold on just for a while? Please don't give up on me tonight."_**

**_[Get To You - James Morrison]_**

Hanna read Caleb's text but she didn't reply. She came back in her room with tears, and Brit noticed it.

"Hey, what's up? What happened?" she asked, approaching Hanna.

Hanna didn't say anything, but cried. It didn't seem possible to her the fact that Caleb was really seeing Molly, but then why that girl was exiting his room? What she had gone to do there after she had 'socialized' with Caleb last Friday? Maybe what Hanna had avoided to make happen that Friday, had already happened before, or maybe after, while Caleb might was perfectly sober. She let herself divouring by all those bad thoughts, as she thought about the fact that she wasn't allowed at all neither to be jealous, nor to claim that Caleb would have waited for her, when she was still with Dave. Nevertheless, that situation was like it had burned her, deeply, and the pain she was feeling was strong, awful. Because she was madly in love with him. And she knew it very well. And in that moment, her own reaction gave her the definitive confirmation of it.

After a few istants, though, she also thought she hadn't caught them in intimate act, that they were both dressed from head to toes, that Caleb wasn't really _that_ kind of guy. And that she wanted to deepen the issue.

Suddenly, then, she got up. Hanna was like that, impulsive. Some minutes earlier had ran away from Caleb, letting herself condition by Molly's stupid smirk, instead now she was coming back to him, because he _deserved_ to be able to explain. And because yes, she loved him.

"Where are you going?" Brit said, confused by Hanna's act.

"Brit, it's nothing too bad, but I have to solve a thing." she replied, walking to the door.

"Is this about Dave?"

Hanna sighed and turned around before opening the door.

"This is about me." she simply replied, before going away.

* * *

Hanna closed the door behind her back and ran again towards Caleb's room, wiping her tears away in the meanwhile.

But she found him before reaching his room.

They met through the hallway, halfway, because Caleb was coming to Hanna as well.

"Hanna... Where are you going?" he said, grabbing her by the arm, surprised to find her in the middle of the hallway and not in her room.

"I was coming to you. I wanna know what really happened with Molly." she admitted, standing there and looking at him in the eyes.

"Hanna, really, when Molly knocked on the door, I opened it just because I thought it was you... Then she insisted to come in, but... But upon she was in I told her that I'm not interested in her and she sent me to the hell... And when I opened the door it was to make her exit, believe me, I... I just want you, Hanna. I can't be interested neither in Molly nor in anybody else but you, got it? I don't want you to think something wrong... I'm telling the truth, I swear..."

Hanna bited her lip, so she replied.

"Caleb, I know I haven't the right to ask for explanations, and I can't claim anything from you. Even because I'm the one who's with someone else, not you..."

"That's why I'm telling you the truth. Hanna, I'm here for you and..."

Caleb, then, approached Hanna a little bit more and he lowered his voice, since they were in the hallways.

"And I love you." he whispered in her ear.

Hanna, heard those words, closed her eyes and felt a shiver running down her whole spine. Caleb returned to look at her in the eyes, so he continued.

"I'd like to know what brought you to my room after you spent I don't even know how much time trying to avoid me... Well, except for my hangover emergency and the brithday wishes of this morning, of course..." he smiled, shrugging.

Hanna shook her head, letting go a smile.

"I just wanted to stay a little time with you since it's your birthday..." she murmured then.

Caleb smiled even more, without saying anything. He took Hanna's hands and started playing with them.

"If you want it, though..." she added, looking at their joined hands.

Caleb laughed and hugged her tight. Hanna hugged back, sending to hell their stupid misunderstanding about Molly and also the fact that everyone could have got out of one of the doors and see them, included all of Dave's friends, since they were in one of the boys dormitory's hallways. She didn't care about anything.

"Thank you for having believed me..." he whispered in her ear.

And Hanna, there with Caleb, felt in the right place where she should have been.

"So... Are you in for a walk through the New York's streets? I'm sorry but I haven't got the present..." she said then, slowly pulling away from Caleb's sweet grasp.

"You're the best present I could have ever received." he smiled.

Hanna rolled her eyes and smiled embarassed, so the two got out of the NYU.

* * *

Hanna and Caleb rewalked through the ways of Times Square, talking about everything and nothing, so it was dinner time by now. Hanna should have gone out with Dave, but she called off without giving many explications. She wanted to stay with Caleb. And not just because it was his birthday.

"I know where to take you for dinner." Hanna smiled.

"Really? Where?" Caleb asked curiously.

"I'm gonna surprise you."

Caleb shook his head, laughing, and he followed Hanna until they reached the biggest M&M's shop of the world, there, in New York. Caleb loved them, and Hanna knew it better than anyone.

"Okay, tell me this is not a dream!" Caleb started, looking at the millions of colored candy exposed inside the shop from the window.

"Oh no, this isn't a dream... What's better than a dinner with some M&M's?" Hanna smiled.

"Considering even the fact that this dinner is with you, I'd say that's really the best!"

Hanna blushed and the two entered in the maxistore. There were M&M's everywhere, of every color. Caleb looked like a kid for the way he was crazy of happiness. They bought a couple of packages carefully selected by Caleb's tastes, so they exited. They ate walking, while Hanna was improvising herself as a tour guide for Caleb. They reached Central Park, where they sat on a bench.

"Can I ask you something?" Caleb said, eating the last of his M&M's.

Hanna knew he was about to ask her something less innocent than some curiosity about New York or some consideration about the M&M's tastes, but she knew that sooner or later that moment would have come, so she nodded. Caleb took a deep breath and continued.

"Are you here with me tonight just because it's my birthday and you don't want me to spend it alone? Are you still convinced to want to avoid me pretending I'm just your teacher's assistant?"

Hanna bited her lip, and she finally chose to be honest. With him and with herself.

"No, I'm not. I... I've been an idiot throughout the last days, Caleb. The truth is... The truth is that I wanna stay with you, and I'm not talking just about tonight. I really wanna spend some time with you. You know, avoiding you just made me understand that it wasn't what I wanted at all, and... And I missed you. I know that I acted really dumb towards you and I apologize for that, but... But you have to try to understand me, Caleb. I don't have any idea about what to do in this right moment of my life, but I know that when I saw you at the party with Molly, it awfully annoyed me. And I wouldn't have the right to be jealous, but... This is the truth. You can tell me that I'm an idiot now, of course, because you would be perfectly right." she stammered, looking at her shoes for the whole time and nervously playing with an hairgrip between her fingers.

Caleb smiled at her with tenderness before replying.

"It's all okay, Han. You know, I don't think you're an idiot at all and I can understand how you feel. I mean, I understood that Dave is a really nice person and I guess you don't wanna feel like crap towards him spending some time with me instead of him. But on the other hand, I also know that if it wasn't for him, everything would probably have already come back fine between us. And I'm not saying this for presumption. I'm saying this because I know that you're in love with me just like I'm in love with you. But... Well, you don't wanna hurt Dave because even if you're not in love with him, you look out for him so you can't leave him for me. But, Hanna, I can understand. You're a good person and you're worrying about the people you care of. You don't wanna hurt anybody. I know you."

Hanna lifted her head and looked at him in the eyes.

"How can you accept the fact that I can't leave a guy who I don't love for you?" she asked then, serious.

Caleb sighed.

"It was me the one who left you two years ago, it was me the one who renounced to you like a perfect dumb. And now I'm willing to accept everything to be by your side, included all of this Dave mess. I did a big mistake when I walked away from you. It's been the biggest mistake of my life, and... And now I'm paying for the consequences. But I can't complain, because you're here with me now, and... And when you feel ready to retry to rebuild something with me, if you'll ever feel ready, I'll be here, I'll always be here for you. I don't ask you anything. Or maybe just a thing... To choose what really makes you happy and not what seems fair to you. But this is just a piece of advice." he said with decision.

Hanna sighed deeply, but then she smiled at Caleb. His words were sincere and full of meaning. It felt like they were coming right from his heart. And Hanna also felt that he would really have waited for her for his whole life, but it wouldn't have been right and she knew it.

"Why are you so convinced that I'm in love with you though?" she asked then, doubtful.

Caleb chuckled.

"Because I can read your looks, your gestures, the way you talk, the way you move... I guess I've learnt something about you... And you know, I don't think that your desire of staying with me comes from nowhere or from a simple affection. I think that's something stronger, considering even the fact that it scared you towards your relationship with Dave so much that you've tried to avoid me. I repeat, it's not presumption, it's just what I think, and actually, I'm pretty sure about it." he smiled.

"You're really still the usual cheeky..." Hanna mumbled, smiling.

"Maybe. But you've always liked me this way, so..."

Then, both of them laughed. Hanna then got up from the bench, and Caleb looked at her, confused.

"I'm gonna take you somewhere else." she announced with decision.

"I obviously can't ask where..."

"Right, let's go."

And the two, absent-mindedly, restarting walking, took each other by the hand.

* * *

**A/N: Here you go guys :) Haleb kinda made up their situation, at least about that bitch of Molly! Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for your congratulations on my exam, you really made me smile :) Also thank you to the new followers, I noticed that the number is growing and this makes me beyond happy, so... THANK YOU :) So, next chapter is definitely one of my faves, and I'm sure it will be one of yours too ;) I just spoiler you that **** Caleb's birthday's just gonna be awesome! **...But I'd like to know what you think about this chapter as well, of course ;) We're really close to the 100 reviews and I hope to reach them soon! So, again thanks for everything! I'll update ASAP, I'm sure it will be worth the wait though :D Love you guys! xx -Atramea.


	16. Chapter 16

**_"Give a little time to me, we'll burn this out, we'll play hide and seek to turn this around, and all I want is the taste that your lips allow."_**

**_[Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran]_**

Some minutes later, Hanna and Caleb were on the top of the Empire State Building. The night view of New York was fabulous. It was cold, but both of them felt wonderfully, there, on the roof of the world and with the person loved. Regardless of the weird situation in which they were finding themselves, not really clear yet, they were fine. Because they were one with the other. And that was all that really mattered.

"When I came here for the first time, I thought that this view was one of the most beautiful things I've seen in my life..." Hanna said, taking a few steps forward.

Caleb remained a little more behind, admiring _another_ kind of view.

"What do you think about it?" she asked again, still turned on her back.

"One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, definitely." he replied, effectively referring to _both_ of the views.

Hanna turned around, not taking Caleb's allusion. He took some steps towards her, until he was close enough to be able to place his hands on her hips.

"Thank you." he murmured, smiling at her.

"For what?"

"For being here. I don't know if I deserve it, but I can't help but be happy that you're here with me. Besides, on the Empire State Building. On my birthday. That's almost perfect, Han..."

Hanna smiled, and she couldn't help but wrap her arms around Caleb's neck, like it was an automatical reaction for everytime he touched her.

"What's missing to make sure that it is perfect?" she asked, not afraid of what the answer could have been.

"Are you sure you wanna know it?" he said, with a serious look in the eyes, knowing he could have replied in an _only_ way.

Hanna bited her lip and nodded, perfectly aware of what Caleb was about to do. For once, she chose to let herself go.

Caleb moved a hand from Hanna's hips to take it upper, on her face, moving a strand of her hair under her ear. He then replaced it on her hip, tightening his grasp. So he slowly approached his face to hers, making their foreheads touching. With a sweet and extremely slow gesture, Caleb approached then his mouth to Hanna's, finally joining them in an innocent, delicate, soft kiss, as both of them closed their eyes to fully live that moment.

Caleb didn't want to force things too much, but as soon as he felt that Hanna was comfortable with everything of that, he pulled his lips away from hers to rejoin them again in a more passionate, greedier, hungrier way. He waited some istants more before slipping his tongue between Hanna's lips, but after a few seconds spent making their lips just touching and moistening each other, he did it. He desperately wanted to do it since he had seen her again. He had waited that moment for years.

When Hanna felt Caleb's tongue making its way through her mouth, she instinctively scratched the back of his neck, but she didn't do it to protest, since she placed then the palm of her hand on it to pull Caleb closer to her. She let her tongue indulge to Caleb's as well, and between their mouths exploded a sweet passion war both of them had waited for too long.

Both of them had missed all of this. The one had missed the other's taste, the way their lips were used to interlace, the strong adrenalin which pulsed from there through their entire bodies, the games which the one's hands made up on the other's body while kissing. In that moment, both of them felt an intricacy of emotions exploding in their veins.

They learnt by heart each other's lips; it was like the ones continued on the others. They were a single thing, pieces of the same mosaic which completed each other. The ones on the others were just something natural.

Hanna might wasn't used to those moustaches which were occasionally rubbing against her upper lip, slightly tingling her, but that wasn't an annoying thing at all. And it wasn't annoying neither that light chocolate aftertaste due to the M&M's they had a little time before.

The truth is that in that kiss there wasn't a single thing that could have neither approached the definition of 'annoying'.

It didn't existed anything anymore: their problems, their weird situation, Dave, Molly, the cold, the years apart, the pain... That kiss made them feel extremely well, taking away every guilt or pain they could have felt.

Hanna chose to do what she really wanted to do ever since she had seen Caleb again, and for what she would have given everything in those years they had spent apart.

She let go her hands through his hair, weaving it through her fingers and then releasing it, as he made his hands go up Hanna's whole back until they reached her shoulders, while he drew imaginary circles with his thumbs, so he made them go down her back again, keeping her body warm in the cold of that starry night. Hanna loved the way Caleb kissed her, the way he touched her, the way he could make her feel _so_ special with gestures so simple but so passionate.

Their tastes, fused between their mouths, had the love's taste.

That kiss lasted for an undefined time, because as always when Hanna and Caleb were together, the time around them stopped. It was Hanna who slowly pulled away, with a spark in her eyes and a shy smile, making their lips loudly pop in the moment they parted from each other. She wasn't repentant, she was _happy_. Caleb smiled as well, rubbing her cheek with one of his hands. They remained like that, looking at each other, with their foreheads still touching.

"Now it's perfect..." he added, before kissing gently the tip of her nose.

Hanna hid all of her awkwardness behind an ashamed laugh, so she hid her face in the crook of Caleb's neck, who immediately hugged her tight, almost hurting her. He unfolded his lips through her blonde hair, as he rubbed her back and shoulders, and with his eyes he absent-mindedly observed the New York's lights.

_'Happy birthday, Caleb.' _he thought with himself, smiling and holding the girl who he loved in his arms.

* * *

**A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CALEB! :) OMG I freaking loooove this chapter :) I know it's way short and it tells just about one kiss, but I thought that this moment was pretty important and I loved writing it so much, so I hope you enjoyed it as well ;) I know, SORRY for having made you wait this kiss for so long, I hope it was worth the wait though :) Sooo... emmaleewhittaker, seems you've read my mind since they kissed exactly on the top of the Empire State Building... Your guess was perfectly right, I don't know how you could, but, seriously, congratulations, hahaha :D littlejaymagron, Brit will know very soon, I promise, and yeah, Molly can screw herself for sure ;) but you guys don't have to forget her... britneymartina, thank you with all my heart, you're really kind :) Halebismylife, of course I know who you are and I'm so so happy that you finally have an account! Welcome, hope you liked the chapter :) The guest who said Molly isn't the type to keep her mouth shut... I have to say that you perfectly understood everything, that's why Molly will probably be involved in Brit finding out about Hanna and Caleb, but, again, who knows? You'll find out in the next few chapters though ;) Thanks also to sarahschneider2012 and everyone else who reviewed or added the story in the follow/favorite :) I'm happy to have reached the 100 reviews YAYYY thank you everybody :) Look, I guess that now some of you will probably tell me that Hanna's acting wrong like this with Caleb, because she's still with Dave, and again, I know, but her mind is gonna change about him, so you just have to keep reading and find out what's gonna happen next :) Well, then... What do you guys think it's gonna happen in the next chapter? This time I really can't spoiler you anything, I just can't :P but I'd really like to read your thoughts about this chap and everything :):) I'll update ASAP, I hope you enjoyed it and keep reading&reviewing... You guys ROCK! Thanks for reading! Kisses, love xx -Atramea.**


	17. Chapter 17

**_"Not really sure how to feel about it, something in the way you move makes me feel like I can't live without you, it takes me all the way. I want you to stay."_**

**_[Stay - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko]_**

The night came to an end without so many words. Both of them felt well with each other, and most of all, Hanna felt like she was in _her_ place, unlikely when she was with Dave.

Caleb walked Hanna to her room's door, some minutes past midnight by now.

"So... What are you doing tomorrow?" Caleb asked, with the hands in his pockets, as Hanna pulled out the keys from her purse.

"I think I'm going shopping on the Fifth Avenue with Brit." she smiled, still very embarassed because of what had happened earlier.

"Do you still come back with tons of bags after a shopping session?" Caleb asked then, chuckling.

"As always." Hanna replied, shrugging.

"I remember how much your bags were heavy after the intense days at the Rosewood Mall... It was always me the one who had to carry them!"

"Yeah. You didn't have much fun, nevertheless you always insisted to come with me..."

"That's true, I've always hated going around shops, especially the clothes ones, but... The important was being with you." he said, smiling.

Hanna smiled back, shaking her head at the memories.

"How much we loved each other though, you and I?" she blurted out then, letting impulsively go an intervention a little 'risky'.

In fact, she blushed as soon as she spoke, biting her lower lip and lowering her head. Caleb smiled, so he moved his index finger under Hanna's chin to make her lift it. He made sure they could look in each other's eyes, and he took a deep breath.

"And how much we still love each other, you and I?" he said then, with decision.

Hanna remained petrified and Caleb approached her, fitting his lips to hers again. He kissed her in a definitely more impetuous way than earlier, not hiding the clear desire of wanting to go beyond it. Hanna pulled away, though, as soon as things got heated, moving a hand to her lips just like she had just transgressed. Caleb noticed that he might was overreacting and claiming a little too much, so he bited his lip, sighing.

"Sorry..." he said, lowering his gaze and roaming a hand through his hair.

"It's fine, Caleb." she replied quickly, turning around and placing the keys in the lock.

"Goodnight, Hanna. Sweet dreams. And... Thank you for tonight. For everything." he said then.

It was then that something clicked into Hanna. At those words, she heard Caleb's voice trembling, in a mixture of choking desire, mortification for having put her uncomfortable and gratitude for the nice night spent together, but most of all, she read in them a strong love. The love of always. The love she had been missing for two years. The love which filled her heart and which only him could give her.

In less than a second, she sent everything to hell, giving a punch against the wall and running back to Caleb. She threw her arms to his neck and she got rid of every weight, joining again her lips to his. They kissed with strong passion, like that kiss should have filled everyone of those which they couldn't give each other for years. And Caleb, in that meanwhile, held Hanna tight, making her understand with that contact that he was part of her exactly like she was part of him, like it had always been. As their tastes merged, their bodies, exactly like their souls, touched each other greedy to reconnect after all that time that, yes, it had really been too much.

Hanna's intentions to stay away from Caleb again were turning off as their tongues hugged each other without rules, in a extremely lustful way, and as her hands rewalked his muscular body, which had been her house for a long time. And both of them had missed all of this too much.

All of their thoughts flowed then in an only common desire: the one of finding each other again, of having each other again, of coming back, even just for a night, to be a single thing. That was their night. The words ended for both of them, from that moment there were just feelings, which were almost exploding, since all the time they had spent bottled, risking to smother.

Caleb lifted Hanna from the floor with the strength of his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, without stopping kissing neither for a moment. He pulled her against the hallway's wall, with a touch of violence, so he pulled away from her lips to be able to look at the position of the keys in the lock. He stretched his hand to open the door and entering the room, but Hanna stopped him. She grabbed him by the wrist, and Caleb looked at her, doubtful.

"Not here... There's Brit..." she mumbled, breathing heavily.

Caleb nodded, so he took the keys just to slip them off the lock and throw them into Hanna's purse. They made their way towards Caleb's room in that same position; Hanna clinged to his body sustaining herself with her legs around his waist, and he who was keeping his grasp on her under her thighs, occasionally opening his eyes between kisses to look if they were going through the right way. They finally arrived in front of the room's door, and upon there, Caleb found hard to take the keys from his jeans' pocket because that pocket was covered by one of Hanna's thighs, but he eventually did it without making her move.

"Are you sure?" he whispered to her breathing heavily, the keys placed in the lock.

He needed to know it, or actually to hear her saying it.

"I'm sure." she replied with decision, before restarting kissing him.

* * *

The room 319's door opened and Hanna and Caleb entered clinging to each other. Their tongues were risking to set fire because of all the passion they were rubbing each other with. Caleb undressed Hanna eagerly, quickly taking off her shirt and throwing it to the floor, pulling away from her lips just to make sure she can get rid of the shirt. He then easily slipped off her skirt, leaving her in her underwear. Hanna unbuttoned Caleb's shirt and she slipped it off, then she unzipped his jeans and she slipped them down to his knees. Caleb managed then to take them off for good, taking off his shoes as well with just the help of his feet, and then kicking the jeans off. Only in their underwear, they parted their mouths and looked at each other. From both of their gazes was transpiring a strong desire.

Caleb started kissing Hanna's neck, while his hands managed to unhook her bra, a thing which he had learnt only thank to the time. Upon he did it, he threw it to the floor as well, so he slowly made his mouth move down from Hanna's neck to her exposed breasts, kissing them gently. In the meanwhile, his hands slipped down her sides, until they reached the waistband of her lace panties, so he slipped down them too. Hanna let them fall down, so she backed towards the bed. Caleb followed her, and Hanna moved her gaze to the evident erection which was pulsing against his boxers. With a hand, she rubbed it through the material, making Caleb let out an approval verse, so she slipped down the last thing that was still on his body, letting to Caleb the task of taking it off for good, thing that he did immediately.

All the speed whereby they undressed each other clearly contrasted the slowness of the moment when they found themselves naked observing each other with the eyes of who's in love. It wasn't the first time that they find themselves in that situation, of course, but for some reasons, it was like was that way. To Caleb, Hanna appeared even more beautiful than how he could remember. From the window was filtering the dim moonlight, which accompained each of their movements with the needed delicacy. Hanna slowly lied on the bed, accompained by Caleb's hand held in hers. He immediately left her hand to slowly move his fingers through all her arm, to reach her neck and then her face, on which he left a sweet caress, and from where he moved a blonde strand, placing it behind her ear. He then touched her lips with his thumb, before she unfolded them to kiss that small space of skin. Then Caleb lied down, letting his body perfectly adhere to Hanna's. They matched like two puzzle's pieces, they were literally made for each other. They restarted kissing with passion, like it was something which couldn't be curbed, as they held each other. Caleb bent down with the mouth to walk through every inch of Hanna's skin, kissing her where he could, without following any order. Then she arched her back, sitting and letting her legs fall behind Caleb's back, and he did the same, making their waists meet. Hanna restarted kissing Caleb on the neck, letting her breasts pushing against his warm chest, and their hearts beated at the same pace one on the other's body. Then, she bent down with her lips to his pectorals, kissing his sensitive spots, where she perfectly knew how much it drove him crazy, as, with her hands' palms, she pushed against his contract abs. Caleb, in the meanwhile, moved his hands to Hanna's back, letting them slowly slide till her butt, which he slightly rubbed.

It was in that moment that Hanna hooked her legs behind Caleb's back, pushing him closer to her, and she spreaded them the necessary to allow him complete access to her body. But Caleb waited an istant; he placed his forehead against Hanna's and he looked at her in the eyes, intensely. Both of them breathing heavily, the veins on the temple which were pulsing because of the emotion, the bright eyes.

"I love you... I have for all my life and I will for all my life... You've got my heart, Hanna..." he said in a whisper, barely perceptible, accompained by his panting.

Hanna caressed him, biting her lip.

"I love you too..." she replied, finally confessing her _real_ feelings, in a whisper which was a liberating scream in her heart.

She then replaced her lips on Caleb's, before unfolding them and letting to the tongues all the space necessary to hug each other, and as the kiss deepened, Caleb retired his waist back to push it then immediately forward, with decision.

And it was in that moment that they became a single thing, rejoining body and soul.

Hanna jumped slightly, shutting her eyelids and letting out a moan, and she suddenly felt all of Caleb's warmth fill her body. Caleb breathed out deeply, so he gave Hanna some time to adjust to his presence, and then he repeated the movement more and more times, with even more decision and speed, making up a pace and an angulation which could be nice for both, while Hanna was arching her back and moaning.

Caleb moved one of his hands all around her chest, then he bent it down to her thighs, as Hanna messed up his hair and pushed against his strong shoulders, occasionally scratching them. The cold of that night disappeared in their movements between the sheets messed by now, their united bodies kept each other warm, and that warmth was the most beautiful feeling in the world. They were together, in every sense, like all that time had never passed, like they had never really parted. The only sounds which colored the silence of the night were their pleasure sighs and their fleshes clashing against each other. That union of bodies and souls was their real homecoming.

Hanna felt so wonderfully good that she barely recognized herself for the almost indecent way whereby she was begging Caleb not to stop, to give her more, again, like she could never get enough, like she want it to never really end. Make love to him had always made her lose her control, and the fact that it hadn't happened for _too_ long, wasn't doing anything but accreasing her passion.

And Caleb had to contain himself, feeling like he could have exploded even just listening to Hanna's moans, and that body of hers was so damn perfect which it should have been declared illegal. As he drowned his desire into Hanna, he wondered how the hell he had been able to renounce to her for all that time. The feeling he had in those moments was awfully nice, so much that he had felt the impulse of letting himself go even just at the first contact, but he did his best to make sure that everything lasted for the longest. He chose to love Hanna in the absolutest way, he chose to force himself to make sure that night was unforgettable, he chose to show her that it really couldn't be possible to stay parted anymore.

And if it was him the one who was into her physically, with the soul they were one into the other without differences.

They made love until they were exhausted, until they were worn, until they consumed themselves, until they annulled themselves, until they couldn't recognize their bodies' borders, until they couldn't feel a particle of energy to give to the other anymore.

Until they felt dying for the pleasure.

Until they couldn't love each other more.

So, suddenly, in that passion fire, Hanna threw her head back, she held the sheets in her fists and she didn't do anything to contain a single sharp moan, reaching the apex of her pleasure, feeling the inner of her body frantically pulsing. She then let herself fall to the mattress, exhausted, with her heart beating insanely fast and her blood that was like boiling, and Caleb inevitably climbed on her. He followed her immediately after, in an almost perfect synchrony with Hanna's fulfillment; he stiffened his abs and he thrusted himself one last time, more deeply and rudely, in her delicate body, reaching his peck in that istant. He felt a jolt pervading each of his muscles until it made buzz even his bones and he let out a sound which had smothered in his throat, invoking Hanna's name like it was the last thing it had been allowed to him in his life, so he wore himself out on her shoulder, with no more breath in his lungs. He made sure he didn't put all of his weight on Hanna's body, holding himself up how he could on his elbows with the little strength he still had in his muscles.

They were each others' heaven.

They both remained speechless and motionless catching their breath for some minutes, then Caleb gave an innocent kiss on Hanna's lips and he lifted himself from her body for good to place his back against the mattress. He then slightly took Hanna by the arm and he dragged her upon his body, making her place herself on her stomach. Hanna gently lied on him, placing her head on his chest, as Caleb stroked her hair with a hand, and with the other wrapped her waist, after having covered her with the blankets till her hips. Caleb adored having her literally on himself. He adored feeling that wonderful body, which was still burning of passion, pushed against his, like a second skin. He kept caressing her until he caught enough breath to say something.

"It was the best birthday of my life..."

"Can we wait tomorrow to talk about everything? I just need you to hold me now..." Hanna murmured back, without lifting her head to look at him in the eyes.

Caleb preferred not saying anything else in reply, he just bent down to gave her a kiss through her hair and he kept caressing her. He didn't know if Hanna would have regretted what had just happened the next day, if she would have returned on her beliefs, or if she would have finally indulged to her feelings. Caleb knew that they would have had to match the reality in which they were finding themselves the next day, because Hanna had followed her heart that night, indulging to the desire and to the impulse, but it could have been different later. Caleb knew it, but in that moment, with Hanna in his arms, he was too happy to think that it could have changed everything the next day. And most of all, both's feelings could have _never_ changed, and this could reassure him.

Hanna remained silent listening to the quite noises of the night, just like she had heard them on her true first night, in the tent, held by him as well. She chose not to think about anything for the moment, just enjoying her current situation, because she was happy, really happy, and she didn't want to feel guilty neither with herself, nor with anybody else. She embed her hand's fingers to Caleb's ones, and she played with their joined hands until, in his arms, she drowned in the dreams, slowly lowering her eyelids, cradled by the comforting breaths and the fresh scent of the guy she loved.

* * *

**A/N: BOOM! BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! ...Here you go guys :) That's why I couldn't spoiler anything last time ;) I hope it was a good love scene, please forgive my grammar mistakes because I remind you that English is not my first language, anyway I hope it was kinda okay all in all. This is another of my favorites chapters of course by the way :) Well, I know that Hanna cheated on Dave and that's maybe something that her character would never do, but remember that she never thought she loved Dave, because she actually loved Caleb, that's why she ended up with him now... So, in the next chapter, Hanna's finally gonna keep her decision ;) ...112 reviews by the way *-* you guys are amazing! Thank you with all my heart for your support, I'm really happy about it :):) I'm glad you appreciated the Haleb kiss on the Empire State Building, and I hope this chapter was a good continuation to that sweet moment ;) So, since this chapter is basically THE chapter (which I think you all were waiting for!) I'd be really happy if you let me know your thoughts about it, I'm so curious OMG ^^ I also hope to read the favorite line of that guest who reviewed last time writing it, for this chapter too! :) Seriously guys, thank you again! And I really hope you keep reading and reviewing...you make my days :) Welcome to all the new readers, though :) ...I'll try to update ASAP! Love! xx -Atramea.**


	18. Chapter 18

**_"I never stopped, you're still written in the scars on my heart. You're not broken, just bent, and we can learn to love again."_**

_**[Just Give Me A Reason - Pink feat. Nate** **Ruess]**_

Caleb woke up with Hanna in his arms, whom was still sleeping. He smiled, looking at her innocently naked and asleep. The eyelids shut, the mouth slightly ajar, the hair messed, the quiet and sleepy breath which walked dashing against Caleb's chest. God, he had missed waking up that way. He had insanely missed kissing Hanna, touching her, making love to her, sleeping and waking up with her by his side. He had missed her, in a indescribable way. He sighed, still with a smile on his face, and he slightly caressed her, paying attention not to wake her up. He would have remained like that for the whole day.

He gave then a glance to the alarm on his nightstand. It was a few minutes to ten in the morning, and Caleb should have gone to class with Norton at eleven 'o clock. But he didn't want to get up from that bed, for anything in the world. He stretched an arm towards the nightstand and he grabbed his mobile, placed next to Hanna's one. He texted Norton, still paying attention not to wake Hanna up, saying he wasn't well and that he couldn't have come to lesson for that day. After all, he had told him the truth; he wasn't well, he was _very_ well. The man replied to him minutes later, texting that he didn't have to worry and wishing him to get well soon. Caleb smiled understanding he did it, so he returned to focus on Hanna. She was so beautiful. Perfect, he would have dared to say. He wondered if she had to go to class, if he might would have had to wake her up to ask her, but he decided not to.

He remained to look at her sleeping and think that she really looked like an angel, until his attention moved to a mobile buzzing on the nightstand. It was Hanna's. On the display was showed a call alert, with Dave's name hugely written upon it, and Caleb sighed. For a moment he had forgotten all of the mess where they were finding themselves in. He let it buzz until he didn't stop on its own, and when the mobile went to the block screen, Caleb noticed there were beyond twenty between missed calls and texts mainly from Dave, but also from Brit. He sighed again, biting his lip and immediately returning with the gaze on Hanna. He gave to himself the pleasure of inspiring all of her scent drowning his nose through her hair, as he slowly let his fingertips slide down her bare back.

After a few moments, Hanna let out a little yawn, stretching herself against Caleb's torso. He chuckled and lowered himself to kiss the top of her head.

"Hi..." he softly whispered, rubbing her back.

Hanna lifted her gaze to look at Caleb in the eyes and she smiled at him.

"Hi..." she whispered as well, with the voice still hoarse.

Caleb, comforted by her smile, held her against himself repeatedly kissing her head, and Hanna let herself cuddle with her eyes closed even if she was awake. Her ear was pushed against Caleb's chest, and she could hear his heart beating, a sound which gave to her a feeling of an indescribable quiet.

"Do you have to go to Norton?" she asked then, without moving of an inch.

"No, I told him I can't today." Caleb replied, keeping caressing her.

"Liar." Hanna sentenced, chuckling.

Caleb laughed as well.

"Do you have to go to class?" he asked then.

"I should..." she mumbled.

"What does it mean?"

"It means that I should go, but I definitely think that I won't."

"Mmh... Really?" Caleb asked, overturning Hanna on the mattress so he was on the top of her.

Hanna nodded smiling, so Caleb gently kissed her on the lips, keeping his grasp on her cheeks with his hands.

"How do you feel?" he asked immediately after, with care.

"I'm fine, Caleb. I didn't regret it... I wanted it. I've wanted it for a long time, actually." she admitted, caressing his face.

Caleb smiled comforting at her, nodding.

"You wanna know what I'm gonna do now, after what happened last night, don't you?" Hanna said again.

Caleb sighed.

"Hanna, I repeat you for the nth time that I don't claim anything, but I don't hide you the fact that I'd like to be your man and not your secret love... In the past, we tried to have a secret relationship, and it was actually awful, and... I wish we didn't have to hide. I wish I could hold your hand in front of everybody, kiss you without having to check our backs first, I mean, after all the time we've waited before finding each other again, and... And I wish you were all for me. It doesn't drive me crazy for the joy the fact that Dave can touch you and I can't..." he said honestly.

Hanna bited her lip and nodded. Caleb was right, and she would have liked to be with him without having to hide as well.

"But I love you, Hanna. And I'll wait for you. I won't leave anymore, got it? Take the time that you need, okay?" Caleb continued, caressing her again.

"Okay. I'll manage to fix things with Dave as soon as possible. I wanna stay with you too, Caleb." she replied.

He nodded and kissed her again, this time longer, until they weren't interrupted by Hanna's mobile which buzzed for the nth time. Hanna pulled away from Caleb's lips and she grabbed the mobile with her hand.

"Sorry, I have to take it..." she murmured.

"Is it him?" Caleb asked.

Hanna nodded, took a deep breath and picked up.

"Hey..."

"Hanna, where the hell have you ended up? Brit told me that you didn't sleep in your room... I called your mother and she didn't know where you are either... So?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. Uhm... Spencer surprised me coming to visit me, and... And we slept at her uncle's house here in New York. It's all okay, Dave, I'm coming back to the college right now..."

"Why didn't you alert anyone? We all got worried!"

"You're right, I'm sorry, but... Spencer surprised me like that, and, really, I didn't expect it... You know, it was a long time we haven't seen each other and I forgot everything else, I'm an idiot..."

"Okay, well... It doesn't matter, the important is that you're fine."

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"Good, then see you later. Tell me when you arrive, we can have breakfast together if you want to."

"That's fine, bye."

"See you later, love you."

Hanna hung up and snorted, so she replaced the mobile on the nightstand.

"Everything okay?" Caleb asked.

"Caleb, I can't do this to him."

Caleb sighed and returned with his back on the mattress, next to Hanna.

"So?" he asked.

Hanna sighed as well.

"I'm gonna break up with him, I have to, but..." she added.

"But?"

"But I don't wanna do things behind his back anymore. He doesn't deserve lies, nor being cheated on."

"You're telling me that you don't wanna see me again before you'll break up with him?"

Hanna nodded, biting her lip.

"I think that's the best thing..." she added, lowering her gaze.

Caleb sighed again, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

"Forgive me, Caleb... It's that... I'm afraid that if I'm not gonna do everything with the necessary delicacy, I'll risk that Dave will find out things on his own and this way he'll feel even worse, and... I don't wanna lie to him, and most of all I don't want him to restart drinking because of me. He hardly got out of it, and I know it well, and he's a fragile person, and..." Hanna continued, before being interrupted by Caleb.

"That's fine, Hanna. I understand. I'll wait for you, I told you. But please, don't take too long, I can't be without you..."

Hanna smiled and came closer to Caleb's body, and he received her in a warm embrace.

"I love you so much..." Caleb whispered, kissing her temple and stroking her hair.

"I love you too, Caleb..." she replied, with her lips smashed against his neck.

"Thank you for being so comprehensive..." she added again, lifting her head to be able to look at him in the eyes.

"You don't have to thank me for anything..."

Hanna smiled and remained held by him silently, as Caleb started slowly moving his fingers on her nape, scratching it slightly.

"God, Caleb..." Hanna giggled.

Caleb perfectly knew how much his little scratches drove her crazy.

"I'm taking my revenge for how much you scratched me last night..." he said, chuckling and keeping his work.

Hanna laughed loudly, enjoying the million wonderful things that Caleb's tapered fingers could expertly do on her skin. And that she had awfully missed.

"I missed you..." Hanna moaned, with her eyes closed because of the pleasure.

"You too, to death..." he smiled, placing a kiss through her hair without stopping his fingers.

Hanna, in the meanwhile, making her hands go down Caleb's torso, tracing curves from his pectorals to his abs with her index finger's tip, slightly touching even his old bullet scar near the spleen, and in the process she moved her head closer to his neck. As she rubbed Caleb's torso with her fingers, slightly tickling him, she started kissing his neck, focusing then her lips on a precise point, not far from his well emphasize Adam's apple.

"Hanna, would you like to drive me crazy?" Caleb chuckled.

Hanna pulled away from his skin just to lift her head and smile at him, so she restarted what she had just stopped. Caleb smiled back, closed his eyes and got relaxed under Hanna's touch. Both of them had missed even these little things; their mawkish 'good morning' ways, their cuddles between the sheets just woken up, being able to feel each other's body warm, the simple _feeling_ each other.

"You know, I feared what you would have said as soon as you woke up..." he said, after some minutes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was scared that you would have said that last night was a mistake, that you would have regretted it, that it's not fair because of the situation in which you're finding yourself, and that you would have walked away from me again because of this..."

Hanna smiled at him tenderly.

"Last night was more beautiful than how much I could have ever imagined. Since we broke up, I've always wondered if it would have been a day in which it would have been possible to find you again, kiss you again, make love to you, fall asleep and wake up in your arms, and... And I've always said to myself if it would have really happened, it would have been wonderful, but... I didn't think this much. I missed you to death, Caleb. I missed all of this, and... I'm tired of curbing my feelings for you. I don't have any intention to lose you again." she replied.

"I missed you to death too, last night was beautiful for me too, and..."

Caleb placed himself on her body and continued.

"And neither do I wanna lose you again... Anymore."

He restarted kissing her impetuosly, and Hanna kissed back, but right when the sheets restarted burning, she pulled away, even if unwillingly.

"I have to go now, I told Dave I would have reached him..." she said, with a touch of bitterness.

"Fine." he said, with the same bitterness in the voice.

Hanna caressed his cheek.

"I promise you that soon we can be together without all of this problems, just give me a little time..." she whispered then.

Caleb nodded and kissed her forehead, so he came back with his back on the mattress, then Hanna uncovered herself from the sheets and she got up from the bed, completely naked, offering Caleb his favorite view. He smiled when he saw Hanna bent down to grab his shirt and then put it on. It was so large on her that it covered her till the middle of her thighs.

"Can I use the bathroom?" she asked, turning around to Caleb and buttoning one of the middle buttons of the shirt.

Caleb nodded and smiled even more.

"My shirt looks good on you." he added, winking at her and looking at her with a dreamy look.

He had missed even just be able to see her with his clothes on.

Hanna smiled at the compliment, pursing her lips, so she entered the bathroom.

* * *

Caleb sighed and got up from the bed, searching for his boxers through the thousand clothes scattered on the room floor. Upon he found them, he slipped in them, so he heard knocking on the door. He froze, not picturing who could have been.

"Who is it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Dude, it's Dave, got a minute?"

Caleb felt the blood freeze in his veins, having no idea about what Dave had come to do till his room.

"Uhm... Sure, just a moment!" he replied then, trying to understand what he had to do before opening that door.

First of all, he hid Hanna's clothes under the bed, so he opened the bathroom door, finding Hanna washing her face in front of the sink.

"What's up?" she asked, noticing the panic expression on Caleb's face.

He placed his index finger on his own lips, signaling her to stay silent.

"Dave's outside here, he asked me for a minute. Don't move from here and don't speak for anything in the world, is it fine?" he whispered then.

Hanna looked at him shocked, but she nodded with decision. Caleb nodded as well, he closed the bathroom door and he quickly slipped in his jeans. He ran then a hand through his hair and he finally decided to open the door.

"Hey!" he greeted, trying to keep the calm.

"Hi, Caleb." Dave smiled.

"Tell me everything." Caleb continued, kindly smiling.

"Uhm... I'm disturbing you, maybe?"

Caleb raised his eyebrows.

"No, what does make you think that?" he said then.

"Dude, I'm a man too. Your face's flushed, your jeans are unzipped and you have a huge hickey printed on your neck... I may come back later!" Dave chuckled.

Caleb istinctively touched his own neck, looking then at his jeans effectively unzipped. He then zipped them and returned to look at Dave, smiling.

"Don't worry, you're not disturbing. How can I help you?" he added, embarassed.

"Okay, well... I asked for your room's number to professor Norton. I'd need you to decode a software for my architecture projects, I need it for an exam. You know, it's cracked... Actually, we would have had to buy it, but it costs a little too much in my opinion, so I thought about you... I heard you're a wizard in this kind of things, that's probably why you're Norton's assistant that young... I know that you have so much work to deal with for sure, and I know that what I'm asking you is not exactly legal too, and I understand if you say no, I'm willing to pay for that, though!" Dave said without taking a breath, handing him an usb key.

Caleb nodded and grabbed the usb.

"No problem, I can do it." he smiled.

"Whoa, thanks a lot, Caleb. You're saving me... How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing, don't worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. I'm gonna give you the software as soon as possible." Caleb smiled.

"Good, thanks again. Just let me ask you something..." Dave said, playfully hitting his shoulder.

Caleb nodded, crossing his arms to the chest.

"Is it Molly Wiscott?" he asked, mischievously smirking.

Caleb shook his head.

"No, it's not her." he added.

"Oh, okay. You know, I think I saw you with her at the party, and..."

Caleb interrupted him.

"I was drunk, Dave. It's not that Molly isn't a beautiful girl, but..."

Caleb lowered his gaze, not sure of how to continue.

"You're in love with this girl, aren't you?" Dave friendly smiled at him.

Caleb sighed. _'Yes, I am, so much, and you know, we're talking about your girlfriend, and actually she loves me too, since years.' _he thought with himself. He just nodded and half-smiled at him.

"I'm happy for you, really. I don't wanna steal you more time, thank you for the favor and have a good continuation." Dave continued, saying goodbye.

"Bye, see you next time." Caleb concluded smiling, before closing the door.

He sighed deeply and waited at least for two minutes, for caution, before reopening the bathroom door, from where Hanna, whom had overheard everything, immediately exited to hug him.

"I won't put you in a situation so awkward anymore, Caleb, I swear..." she murmured, as she held him.

"It's all okay, Han..." he replied, giving her a kiss on the temple.

Hanna pulled away and smiled at him, so she unbuttoned and slipped off the shirt, handing him it. Caleb remained some istants staring at her completely naked again.

"Stop looking at me like this and turn around!" Hanna said, blushing.

"Are you kidding? I perfectly know each inch of that delicious body..." Caleb whispered, mischievously smirking.

"You distract me if you look me this way... C'mon, Caleb, turn around!"

Caleb chuckled and did it, so he slipped in the shirt.

"I'm really sorry for what happened with Dave... Do you understand why it's better for us to see each other again after I'll break up with him? I don't wanna deal with situations so uncomfortable..." she murmured as she slipped in her skirt.

"Yeah." he just replied.

Hanna, when she finished getting dressed, signaled to Caleb that he could turn around again, so he sat on the bed, silent, watching her fix her make-up and hair.

"You're already perfect like this..." Caleb said, remaining on the bed, keeping looking at her, spellbound.

Hanna moved her gaze from the mirror for a moment to look and smiled at Caleb, so she restarted fixing herself and she finished after some minutes. Both of them went then in front of the door.

"Let me check if you can go..." Caleb murmured.

Hanna nodded, so he slowly opened the door and gave a look through the hallway, finding it quiet. At that time, basically everyone would have been to class. Caleb closed the door and nodded towards Hanna, whom sighed deeply and hugged him again.

"I'll try not to take too long, I promise..." she whispered, holding him tighter.

Caleb nodded, holding her back.

"I love you, Hanna..." he said then, upon the hug ended, looking at her in the eyes.

Hanna, then, gave him a sweet kiss on the lips.

"I love you too." she said then, smiling.

"It's bad to hold you without knowing when I will be able to do it again..." he admitted, caressing one of her hands.

"I know, but I'll make up everything. I need a little time because I have to be delicate with him, but.. But I promise you it won't take too long, because I desperately need you too and I don't know how much longer I can resist..." she said, holding Caleb's hand in a comforting way.

"Okay, now go or I won't let you go anymore." he smiled, winking at her.

"See you tomorrow to class, fine?"

Caleb nodded, sighing at the thought that tomorrow seemed a time extremely far to him, then he opened the door for Hanna. She took some steps, kissing Caleb's cheek before sneaking out of his room with all the possible discretion.

* * *

**A/N: First of all, sorry for the late! Then, I truly appreciated the reviews to the last chapter, so I'd like to thank everyone of you :) So, I hope this chapter wasn't too cheesy, but after I kept Haleb apart for so long in this story, I think I'm allowed to put some sweetness in here haha :D BUT OMG TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT... CALEB'S BACK *-* I'm seriously too excited ;) Can't wait for it! I hope you enjoy this chapter in the wait for tonight's PLL 100th episode, or after it, it doesn't matter haha :) Thank you for reading! Hope to read your reviews of course! Anyway, yes, I promise something big is going to happen in the story :D I'll update ASAP! xx -Atramea.**


	19. Chapter 19

**_"Sit talking up all night, saying things we haven't for a while. You're smiling but we're close to tears, even after all these years, we just now got the feeling that we're meeting for the first time."_**

**_[For The First Time - The Script]_**

"Dave, hey..." Hanna greeted, upon found him sitting at one of the bar's tables.

"Hanna..." he murmured, getting up to kiss her on the lips.

Hanna sat at the table with him.

"I'm sorry, I should have alerted you." she added.

"It doesn't matter... Where's Spencer?"

"Oh, she is... She's gone."

"So soon?"

"Well, the UPenn is an hard college... She had a chance to come visit me, you know, she wanted to talk about her and Toby, and... And even if just for a little time, she wanted to come, but this morning she already had to leave... She's still an Hastings!"

Dave smiled, nodding.

"Dave, I know that throughout these last days I haven't been very present, and..." Hanna started, before being interrupted by Dave.

"Don't worry, babe. Everything's okay."

Hanna wanted to start talking him about the fact she didn't want to stay with him anymore, but as soon as she saw his quiet smile, she felt guilty and swallowed everything. She needed more time to tell him, she couldn't do it like that, suddenly, from a day to another. She couldn't, he was a fragile person and Hanna should have been delicate, very delicate.

* * *

It was night by now, and Hanna and Caleb hadn't seen each other. Hanna was in her room, and she had just concluded the Skype videocall with the girls. She hadn't said a single word about Caleb, she couldn't, not yet. The girls adored Dave, and they didn't dote for Caleb since he had left Hanna and gone to Ravenswood, of course. Sooner or later she would have talked to them about him, but she decided not to for the moment.

In the room there was Brit too, asleep in the other bed. Brit was acting weird with Hanna and she had noticed it; Brit seemed not believe to the story of Spencer's sudden visit which took Hanna away for the whole night, but furthermore, she hadn't cared much of Hanna throughout the classes day, which had also screwed up their usual shopping day on the Fifth Avenue. She wasn't the same. She wasn't the usual Brit. They had barely spoken to each other, and Hanna couldn't understand why, but she had eventually given up.

She climbed on the bed and she covered herself till her chin, when suddenly her mobile started buzzing. Caleb was calling her, and his name flashing on the display made her immediately smile. She got up from the bed paying attention not to wake Brit up and she locked herself in the bathroom, so she answered.

"Caleb..."

"Hey... Sorry, I know it's late, but... I needed to hear your voice." he replied.

She smiled at his words.

"Happy to please you." she added.

Caleb smiled as well, but then he sighed deeply.

"I wish you were here with me..." he said then, with a touch of bitterness in his voice.

"I wish I was there with you too, you know it..." she admitted, biting her lip.

"So come here."

Hanna bited her lip harder, tempted by Caleb's words. She would have wanted to satisfy that request with all her heart, but she didn't want to cheat on Dave again. She didn't wanna make love to Caleb and feel guilty. She had to break up with Dave first.

"I can't, Caleb." she simply said.

"Hanna... I miss you more and more for every second going on... I feel like I'm going crazy... I can't stop thinking about your skin..."

Hanna could feel all the sexual repression in Caleb's words. And this made her reject even less easy.

"It's not easy for me either, believe me... But you know that I'm doing this for respect of Dave. It drives me crazy too not be able to be there with you, but I swear I'll make up everything..." she honestly replied.

"Fine... Anyway thank you again for having made me live a birthday so beautiful... Well, unforgettable."

The smile immediately returned to Hanna. Caleb was even too comprehensive. He loved her to death. Hanna was completely aware of that and she had palpitations just at the thought, since she loved him so much as well.

"Don't thank me. You deserve that each of your days is beautiful like your birthday was!" she said then.

"I have to say that the M&M's were a really good move!"

"Oh, I know. Besides, love is way like chocolate..."

Caleb, in his room, raised his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" he asked then, perplexed.

"Well, the chocolate. You know that it will make you fat, but you eventually eat it though, because it's too good. Yeah, I mean... You give in. And the love... You know that it will make you suffer, but you eventually indulge to it though. And you do it because love makes you feel alive. Because love it's worth anything. That's why love is like chocolate. Even though they have their con, we can't resist to their pro."

Caleb made a tender smile.

"Are you still trying to understand what I said or what?" Hanna asked, noticing several seconds of silence.

"No, I... I understood. And it sounds like something extremely sweet to me. Did you compare me to the chocolate or am I wrong?"

"Sort of... I told you that you're worth anything. And... And that I can't resist you."

Caleb chuckled.

"Well, thank you. And not just for this chocolate thing... Thank you for everything, Hanna." he added.

"I already told you that you don't have to thank me for anything..."

"Why shouldn't I thank you? You're the most special person I know and no one has ever cared of me as much as you do... If I am who I am today, I just have to thank you."

Hanna let out a smile.

"Don't thank me, because everything I did, I did it because I love you." she added, letting her heart speak.

Caleb made the biggest of his smiles at those words.

"I love you too, princess. I missed hearing you saying it... But be careful because if you go on with these affectations, you'll risk that I'll run to your room, break down the door, come in and jump on you!"

Hanna laughed.

"Admit that you like my idea, c'mon..." he continued.

"I like it even too much, so let's try to get over it..."

"God, I wanna hold you... My sheets still smell like you..."

Hanna bited her lip. She could feel the same sexual repression of earlier at that intervention, and saying that she was tempted to run to him is an understatement.

"Well, look at the good part... It's like I'm there with you, then..." she simply said, keeping chewing on her lip.

"I'd rather you to be between my sheets, not just your smell..."

Hanna laughed tenderly.

"I know, but try to be pleased about it." she said.

"It's weird... It seems like we're miles apart... It sounds like one of our calls when I was in Cali and you were in Rosewood. Instead we're two steps apart and we can't even touch each other..."

"You're right. I know I'm asking you for too much, Caleb..."

"You aren't asking me for too much. I'll wait for you, it's just hard to stay away from you. I miss you even if we don't see each other just from this morning... That's it."

"I miss you too..."

There were some second of silence, then Caleb restarted talking.

"You know, when I woke up with you in my arms this morning, I wished I could stop the time..."

"It would be wonderful being able to wake up always that way..." Hanna replied, smiling.

"Well, so let's get married." Caleb improvised, biting his lip.

Hanna bited her lip as well, containing a smile which would have made huge dimples rising on her cheeks.

"You proposed it also when we were at my mother's house and you were drunk..." she simply replied.

"Really?"

"I swear!"

"And... What was your answer?" he asked then, pursing his lips, curious.

"Do you really think that I'd accept to marry you without you haven't kneeled in front of me with a Tiffany ring?" Hanna chuckled.

"Of course, you said you can't resist me... Besides, you love me." Caleb replied, sure.

Hanna blushed and was thankful to the fact they were by phone and Caleb couldn't noticed it.

"These aren't things which can be discussed by phone, Rivers..." she murmured, not knowing how else she could have replied.

"You're avoiding to answer, huh?"

God, he knew her too well.

"You know what, Caleb? It's really late now and we're having an informatics class tomorrow morning at half past eight, so... I'd tell it's the goodnight moment now!" Hanna replied.

Caleb chuckled, shaking his head, so he replied.

"Fine, like you want. But you should know we'll come back on this thing!"

Hanna, on the other side of the phone, let out a laugh.

"Goodnight, baby... I love you." Caleb whispered then, smiling.

Hanna smiled as well. She had missed that goodnight, a lot.

"I love you too... Dream over me!" she replied, still with a smile plastered on her face.

"Well, so they won't be very chaste dreams..." Caleb teased.

"Goodnight!" Hanna cut him off, giggling.

"See you tomorrow, princess. Kiss." Caleb concluded, before hanging up.

* * *

The next day, Hanna was woken up by one of Caleb's text, obviously.

_**Caleb - 7:46 am; **__Good morning, babe... Get up, get ready and don't be late 'cause we're gonna see each other again today :)_

_**Hanna - 7:48 am; **__Good morning to you :) you woke me up this morning too, congratulations :)_

_**Caleb - 7:49 am; **__Go get ready, I'll wait for you in the classroom, there's a surprise ;)_

_**Hanna - 7:50 am; **__I'll be ready in a moment, then :)_

Hanna got up from the bed and went to Brit.

"Hey, sleepyhead... We're having informatics..." she murmured, tapping on her shoulder.

"I don't think I'm coming. I'm not in the mood." she replied, without turning around.

Hanna pursed her lips, silently nodding. It was clear that Brit was mad at her, even though Hanna actually couldn't know why.

"Brit, where did I go wrong?" she asked then, sighing.

Brit turned around and lifted herself.

"Why haven't you told me that you've been sleeping with Caleb Rivers?"

Hanna froze.

"W–what?" she stuttered then, incredulous.

"Don't play dumb, Hanna. You've been betraying Dave... And he doesn't deserve it. Before your Rosewood ex, now Norton's assistant... You're playing the slut or what? You could at least tell me about Caleb... I thought that we told everything to each other, you and I... I haven't told Dave anything, if you're worried about this. I don't know if you do it also with Calvin besides of Caleb, but you should know that your boyfriend doesn't deserve all of this, and... And I knew a so much more honest and loyal person than the one I have in front of me right now. I'm just disappointed, Hanna. That's all. But you can do whatever you want, I don't care about it... Anymore."

Hanna took a deep breath.

"Between me and Caleb things are so much more complicated, Brit, and if you want I'll explain you everything, and..." she started, before being interrupted.

"No, Hanna. I don't care. You knew I liked Caleb, and you knew Molly liked him too. You pretended to have already too many heart troubles to be able to win him, huh?"

"At least tell me how do you know about me and Caleb..."

"Molly told me."

Hanna had forgotten the fact that Molly had seen her by the door of Caleb's room. Before she could answer something, Brit continued.

"The night of the NYU's party, remember? I was dancing with a guy, you were dancing with Dave, and Molly was dancing with Caleb. Suddenly, Caleb ran away from her, and you casually disappeared too, basically at the same moment. When it happened I didn't even noticed it, but then Molly signaled me to approach her, and... And she told me that Caleb was drunk, and that while they were dancing, he called her 'Hanna'. That's in that moment I started putting together the pieces. That's why you two exchanged glances and smiles at lesson. That's who you texted throughout his classes, not Dave or Calvin. That's why you occasionally disappeared from the room. But you know, I tried to think it was just all a weird coincidence, because I didn't think that you have actually been hiding something like this from me. Until the other day. You came here crying, and I thought it was because of Dave or Calvin, or maybe because of your usual indecision between the two... Then you ran away again, and a little after Molly came here to me. She told me she had gone to Caleb, trying to solve their thing of the night of the party, but she told me she had poorly failed. And she also told me she had seen you in front of the door of Caleb's room, before she got out of it. And casually, you didn't come back here in your room for the night that day. It doesn't seem difficult to guess who you were with, or may am I wrong?"

Hanna bited her lip, displaced.

"Yes, I was with Caleb. I'm in love with him, Brit. But there are so many things you don't know..." she added.

"Yeah. I can't recognize you anymore, Han. In love with a person whom you saw for the first time something like fifteen days ago? In love while you're with another guy and you're seeing even another one?"

"I've known Caleb for years. It's him my Rosewood ex, there's no Calvin." Hanna blurted out.

Brit raised her eyebrows.

"How can you claim that I believe you?" she said.

Hanna sighed, took her mobile and went to the gallery, showing Brit the picture where she was with Caleb years earlier, the one which he had sent her, which was as his pc wallpaper.

"Here he has got longer hair and he hasn't moustaches. It's from three years ago, more or less." Hanna added, letting go a small smile at the sight of the picture.

Brit looked at the picture and effectively noticed that it was really Caleb Rivers, a few years earlier.

"So why did you tell me about Calvin?" she asked then, handing back the mobile to Hanna.

"It was too awkward that Caleb was our teacher's assistant, and... And it was awkward that you liked him so much too. But everything I told you about Calvin is true, it's just that the real subject is Caleb. Calvin... Calvin's just a random name, that's it. But it's true that he has been the first real boyfriend I had, it's true that my first time was with him, it's true that I couldn't even imagine to find him again in front of me after two years, it's true that the note under the door was his, it's true that I met him for that coffee, it's true that he bought me the roses at Times Square. Everything's true. I'm sorry, Brit, if I hid you that he was my ex, but... The truth is that even I had to get used to his presence in my life once again, furthermore as my teacher's assistant... I haven't told anyone that Caleb's back in my life; neither to Aria, Spencer or Emily, nor to my mother... To anyone who knows him or not. That's all, Brit."

Brit sighed.

"How long have you been cheating on Dave with him?" she asked after some istants.

"It happened just the other night. Everything happened the other night. Before then, there hadn't been even one kiss, Brit. It's just that... It's just that I'm in love with him, as I've always been, and he's in love with me, as he has always been. We've never forgotten each other. And the other night, everything happened so quickly, and... And I feel guilty towards Dave, but... But I wanted Caleb and I couldn't object to my feelings, anymore. But I've taken the decision of breaking up with Dave, even though I know I'll have to be delicate with him, and until I won't leave him, between me and Caleb won't happen anything behind his back. I have to break up with Dave first, and then I'll come back with Caleb for good, because is with him that I want to be, and I'm totally sure about it, Brit. That's the whole truth."

Brit sighed.

"Wow..." she added.

"I'm sorry that you're mad at me, really..." Hanna replied.

"It doesn't matter, Han. You're in a whole mess, now I understand why you didn't talk me about it... If you need a shoulder, I'm here for you." she smiled then.

Hanna smiled back and hugged Brit, whom hugged back.

"I just ask you not to tell Dave anything, I have to do it on my own and I swear I'm gonna do it soon because I don't wanna trick him..." Hanna murmured.

"Don't worry about it..." Brit replied.

Hanna smiled at her gratefully.

"But Molly doesn't exactly love you, not to make you worry, but... She has already clear her ideas about you and Caleb, and..." Brit continued.

Hanna interrupted her, scared.

"Do you think she could talk about it with Dave?"

"She could. I don't think I can do anything to forbid her to do it. Even if in my opinion Dave wouldn't believe her, but... It's actually better for you to make up everything soon, before you have to deal with some unpleasant drawbacks."

Hanna bited her lip and nodded.

"You're right. Well, are you coming to class now?" she added, with a small smile.

Brit smiled as well.

"My brother's back from Afghanistan, I just need to stay with him today... I'm sure you'll be fine even without me with your handsome Rivers!" she replied.

Hanna hugged again Brit.

"I'm happy for Kevin..." she added.

Kevin, Brit's brother, was a marine guy and he spent most of the year abroad, in various missions. Brit adored him, and as soon as Kevin was back in town, she cancelled everything she had to do to stay with him, fairly.

Brit smiled again, so Hanna eagerly got ready to go to class, to Caleb.

While she was applying her make-up, her mobile rang. It was her mother.

"Hey, mom..." Hanna picked up, with the phone smashed between her shoulder and her ear to make sure that both of her hands could work on the make-up.

"Hanna, we need to talk." Ashley replied, without too many compliments.

"What's up?"

"You should tell me. You might should tell me why Dave called me the other night asking where you were, since you weren't in your room and neither your roommate knew anything. Where the hell did you end up? And most of all, you should explain me why Dave asked me if I was better after my illness of last week. I guess this illness was a lie of yours to justify an escapade to God-knows-where... So?"

Hanna bited her lip. _'Shit' _she thought with herself.

"Uhm, mom... When I'm done with classes, I'm gonna come to you and we're gonna talk about it. I can explain everything..." Hanna said, unsure of how she would have effectively explained _everything_.

"I'm counting on it." Ashley replied, hanging up immediately after, again without too many compliments.

Hanna placed her mobile on the sink and snorted. Maybe it was time to clarify everything with everyone.

* * *

**A/N: Here I am! Sorry for taking so long :) well... Guys, I'm too excited because of the 5x08 Haleb stills OMG ^^ What do you guys anyways think about the Haleb reunion in 5x05? I kinda liked it even though everything, I especially loved the swings scene :') Oookay, so... For the guest who wrote that some scenes of my story would have been really good for the actual Haleb reunion in the show, seriously, thank you...for me it's a huge compliment :):) Halebismylife, I'm very happy that the last chapter was your fave so far :D Thank you everyone for the reviews though! You guys are amazing :D And what do you think about this chapter, instead? Enjoyed the Haleb phone call? Hope so! And, as a guest said a few chapters ago, here's Brit finding out about Hanna and Caleb because of Molly! You knew it ;) Then, as always, let me know your thoughts reviewing ;) Love reading what do you guys think ;) Love you guys! xx -Atramea.**


	20. Chapter 20

**_"Baby, baby, please believe me, find it in your heart to reach me, promise not to leave me behind. Take me down but take it easy, make me think but don't deceive me, torture me by taking your time." _**

**_[If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna]_**

Hanna entered the classroom where would have taken place the informatics class. Norton and Caleb hadn't arrived yet. She took a sit and looked around herself, noticing that Molly wasn't in there. Suddenly, her mobile buzzed. It was Dave.

_**Dave - 8:33 am; **__I'm done at 2 'o clock. Shall we have lunch together? :)_

Hanna sighed before replying.

_**Hanna - 8:35 am; **__I can't, I absolutely have to go to my mom's. See you tonight._

She added that last sentence because she would have wanted to talk to him, that night. Talk to him about everything.

All of her thoughts were interrupted by Caleb entering the classroom, without Norton. Immediately, the two found an exchange of looks, and smiled to each other. Caleb then took the microphone, cleared his throat and made an announce.

"Good morning everyone, guys. Professor Norton's ill, so you guys have to please yourselves just of me today, even though not having an University degree, I can't give a class on my own. So, for who wants to, I thought that we could go to the computers room together to try some softwares for the sketches drawing."

That's what was Caleb's 'surprise'; the fact that at class it would have been just him, so he could interact with his students, _one_ in particular. The guys in the classroom were really happy of that, exulting for the fact that Norton wasn't there and that they could finally enjoy some computer time. Hanna was happy just for the fact that Caleb was there, nothing else.

"Good, let's go." Caleb concluded, as everybody stood up from their seats to reach the computers room.

Hanna stood up, and then she received a text right from Caleb.

_**Caleb - 8:40 am; **__Get out from behind, run to the computers room and sit at the last desk. Don't ask anything ;)_

Hanna giggled, and she took the back exit to reach to computers room before everyone, who was getting out from the main exit with Caleb, so she could take the last desk behind the rest of them, like he had told her.

And that was.

She arrived in the classroom before everyone, so she took a sit where Caleb had told her to. He entered immediately after, noticing Hanna at the bottom of the classroom and winking at her. Then, all of the students entered, taking a sit at the other desks. Hanna's mobile buzzed again.

_**Caleb - 8:44 am; **__Well done, princess ;)_

Hanna lifted her gaze and smiled largely at him, but then she remembered she still had to tell him that Brit knew everything, that Molly knew enough, that Dave could have known and that her mother had started asking too many questions. And also that she had tried to talk to Dave to break up with him, that she hadn't be able to, but that she had planned to do it that night. So she replied to the text.

_**Hanna - 8:46 am;**__ We need to talk about some things..._

_**Caleb - 8:47 am; **__Later, let's play a game now..._

Hanna raised her eyebrows at Caleb, who was sitting at the other side of the classroom, to the main computer.

_**Hanna - 8:48 am;**__ What is it?_

_**Caleb - 8:49 am; **__Wait, you'll see :P_

Hanna shook her head, chuckling with herself. Caleb was unpredictable, and it was clear that his 'game' was connected to the fact that he made sure she could sit at the bottom of the classroom, far from prying eyes.

* * *

Caleb started checking the computers one by one, talking with the guys and giving them pieces of advice about how to use the drawing softwares. With some of them he just exchanged looks, to others he talked for a little, he even took a sit with others for some minutes to explain something, until he reached Hanna's computer, where she was focused on a solitaire. Caleb slightly chuckled, so he looked at Hanna.

"Marin, I told to draw sketches, not to play some cards game..." he whispered, raising his eyebrows.

"You said we're playing a game..." Hanna replied softly, mischievously smiling.

Caleb bited his lip nodding, so he took a sit next to her.

"Caleb, I have to talk you..." Hanna continued.

"Not now." he sentenced, looking in her eyes.

Hanna looked at him quizzically, so Caleb lifted his head and checked if all the guys were focused on their sketches. It was way too easy to distract them and making them forget about the young assistant. Upon verified the fact that nobody was wondering where he was ended up, Caleb stretched a hand under the desk to reach Hanna's knee, then he shelled it without too much hesitation on her bare thigh, let uncovered by the short emerald dress which she was wearing that day. Hanna slightly jumped, as Caleb delicately rubbed her skin.

"Excellent sketch, miss..." he said loud, casually.

Hanna glanced at him as she was asking him to stop, but his touch was actually too nice and Hanna would have never wanted him to stop. In fact she didn't do anything to stop him, she just closed her eyes and pursed her lips, enjoying Caleb's steamy caresses. He looked around himself again; they were all still focused on their works. He then lowered his head making sure he was hidden by the computer's monitor, and he reached Hanna's neck, which he slowly started kissing, as he kept moving his hand on Hanna's leg, now on her inner thigh. Hanna started breathing heavily; she would have wanted to jump on Caleb and send everything to hell, but it obviously wasn't appropriate at all.

"God, how much I missed you..." Caleb whispered, keeping ravishing Hanna as he could.

"How is this fucking game called?" Hanna asked in a whisper, letting out a smirk of pleasure.

Caleb made his way with a trail of small kisses to climb her neck, then he gently bited her earlobe, so he faced her.

"Endurance test..." he whispered, biting his own lip.

"Is this your way to punish me for taking my time to break up with Dave or what?" Hanna replied, still softly not to be heard.

"This is my way to tell you that the wait accreases the desire..." Caleb replied in a whisper, letting his hand exploring the most prohibited meanders of Hanna's perfect body.

Hanna sighed and slightly threw her head back. That 'endurance test' was almost a torture to her. She wanted Caleb as much as he wanted her, but she of course couldn't indulge to the pulse which each of her body's cell was claiming, one because they were in a classroom full of other guys at the moment, and two because she had promised to herself she wouldn't have betrayed Dave anymore until she would have made everything clear with him.

"Caleb..." she whispered in a moan, feeling she couldn't go on anymore.

Caleb slightly chuckled, giving her a kiss on the cheek and pulling away his hands from her body as well. He then got up from his sit, licking his own lips.

"Is everything clear, miss?" he said then out loud.

Hanna recomposed herself in a moment.

"Sure, thanks." she said seriously.

Caleb nodded smiling, so he bent down beside Hanna again.

"This was just a hint to make you know what you're missing... I'm waiting for you, babe..." he huskily whispered in her ear, before getting up again and coming back to his computer.

Hanna bited her lip as she watched him absent-mindedly walking through the classroom. She really had to be quick to break up with Dave, she couldn't resist anymore without Caleb.

* * *

Upon the class ended, Hanna walked to Caleb, to tell him everything she had found out from Brit.

"Hey, did you like the game?" he started, cocky, with a mischievous smirk.

Hanna lifted her eyes to the ceiling, sighing.

"You're sadistic and totally foolish..." she added.

Caleb chuckled, putting his stuff in his leather case.

"What do you need to talk me about?" he restarted, more seriously.

"Brit knows about us." Hanna said, immediately.

"Oh..."

"It wasn't me the one who told her, Molly did. I just made things clear to her, since she thought I was dating three guys and playing the slut..."

Caleb raised his eyebrows.

"Molly? Three guys?" he asked then, confused.

Hanna took a deep breath and explained everything to him, in details.

"Well, the most awesome thing you told me in this whole thing it's the fact you spoke about me with the name my old foster parents called me... It's insane that you've remembered it!" he said immediately after, chuckling.

Hanna smiled, so she told him something else too.

"You know, I tried to talk with Dave yesterday, but... But I couldn't tell him anything, though... I'm gonna tell him everything tonight, I promise."

Caleb shrugged.

"Hanna, I know it's not easy. I'm not hiding you that I can't wait for you to do it, but... But you don't have to fear that I walk away from you because you haven't left him yet, because I won't. I'm here and I'm not leaving this time, even though not being able to touch you it's way hard..."

"You did touch me though, didn't you?" Hanna replied, raising an eyebrow.

Caleb grinned.

"I did a small exception to the rule, you're irresistible..." he added, winking at her.

Hanna blushed slightly, hiding her awkwardness behind a laugh, as always.

"There's something else for you to know..." she continued, returning serious.

Caleb looked at her quizzically, and before she could say anything, her mobile buzzed. It was her mother. She picked up in front of Caleb.

"Mom, I've just finished. I take a cab and I'm there." she asked in a single breath.

Caleb waited for her to hang up, so he spoke.

"What you have to tell me is about Ashley?"

Hanna sighed and bited her lip.

"Do you wanna come with me to her?" Hanna tried.

"What?" Caleb replied, displaced.

"She has understood I'm hiding something. She knows you, she knows I've never forgotten you, and... And regardless how much she loves Dave, you've always been like a son for her. It's right for her to know, Caleb. I'm gonna tell her everything, and I'd like you to be by my side."

Caleb sighed.

"You promise she won't try to kill me?" he said then, raising his eyebrows.

Hanna smiled.

"I promise." she added, taking one of his hands.

Caleb smiled, so he gave a glance to the classroom's door, open.

"Dave'll be done with classes at two 'o clock, there's no risk he's gonna walk around here, don't worry." Hanna said, noticing Caleb's concern.

He nodded, lifting then their joined hands to leave a kiss on the back of Hanna's one.

"Are you sure that telling everybody about us except for Dave is a good idea?" he asked then.

"Caleb, I trust Brit, and we're talking about my mother, not about 'everybody'. If I lie to her, she notices it, and I don't wanna hide her the fact that I wanna be with you. Besides, I'm gonna talk with Dave tonight, no matter what. I don't want what we feel for each other to be a secret..."

"Okay." Caleb smiled.

Hanna smiled back, so he gave another glance to the classroom's door before giving a delicate kiss on Hanna's lips, which quickly turned in something less innocent. Hanna pulled away after some istants.

"I know you don't want anything to happen behind your 'still-for-not-so-long-boyfriend''s back anymore, but if you come so close..." Caleb said, mischievously smiling.

Hanna sighed.

"We've done even too many exceptions to the rule for today, Rivers..." she added.

Caleb nodded, caressing her cheek.

"So, are you ready to face the dear old mrs Marin?" Hanna continued, smiling.

"For you, I'm ready to anything."

Hanna chuckled, then she caressed him as well.

"Now I get out and I take a cab. Wait a few minutes to be careful and then come to me, I'm gonna make the cab wait on the street, is it fine?" she added.

Caleb nodded, so Hanna smiled at him and walked to the classroom's exit, while Caleb waited some minutes in the classroom. After some seconds, he got out of the classroom too and then of the college, getting in the cab where Hanna was waiting for him.

* * *

**A/N: So... Sorry for the huge late :/ I hope the chapter was good though :) What do you guys think about it? Caleb and Hanna getting things heated during class? Haha, hope you enjoyed it ;) Anyways, about the last reviews... I'm happy that you guys have appreciated the Hanna/Brit conversation. I honestly like how their relationship has grown throughout this fic, so I'm glad you liked that "scene" of them :) For the guest who was wondering if it's bad to look forward to the Hanna/Dave breakup, well, absolutely not, I think we all here want it as well (yeah, even me) :D (btw I was jumping when Hanna and Travis ended things in the last episode xD) ...But OMG I really can't wait for Tuesday I need the PLL 5x07 like NOW! I've this feeling that the epic kiss that's gonna happen will be of our Haleb babies... Wow, I just can't wait, seriously :):) Guys, the next chapter of the story will be a bit tough by the way :( I can't tell you anything more, I just really hope that's not gonna disappoint you! Just remember that Haleb is endgame and is always gonna win every kind of battle ;) (even that in the show with alcohol and torments, I'm sure they will get over it together supporting each other with their endless love) :D So...I'll try my best to update soon ;) Review=Love so keep reviewing because those words of yours are presents for me, whatever you'd like to say... I obviously read all of you :) love you guys, you're the best! xx -Atramea.**


	21. Chapter 21

**_"Nobody said it was easy, it's such a shame for us to part. Nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be this hard. Oh, take me back to the start."_**

**_[The Scientist - Coldplay]_**

"Have you thought about how to tell her?" Caleb asked, keeping tight Hanna's hand throughout the ride.

"Of course not, but I think there won't be necessary many words upon she'll see you with me..."

Caleb nodded.

"Are you nervous?" Hanna asked.

"Actually, a little..." Caleb admitted, biting his lip.

Hanna smiled; in that moment, Caleb looked so cute to her.

"Hey, my mother adores you, trust me." she said to him, rubbing the back of his hand with her thumb.

"And I adore her, but... But for her, I'm the jerk who left you for someone else, after everything you had done for me, and I haven't even ever said goodbye to her, when she had basically welcome me in her house like a son, and..."

Hanna interrupted him.

"Don't worry, let me talk then. She's my mom, she's still her, and everything she wants for me is to be happy. And to be happy, I just need you, Caleb. I really appreciate that you've accepted to come with me to her, seriously. Even though you're freaking out..." she eventually said, smiling.

Caleb sighed, smiling as well and shaking his head, so he pulled Hanna closer to him and he held her against his chest. He looked outside the cab window the New York's contours, as he weaved Hanna's blonde hair through his fingers.

"I was a bit rough, huh?" Hanna suddenly said.

"What are you talking about?" Caleb replied, confused.

"This..." Hanna replied, running her index finger around her lips' mark on Caleb's neck, still perfectly visible.

He chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

"Pretty much..." he added.

"Seemed like you liked it while I was at work, though..."

"Who told the other way around?"

Hanna chuckled.

"We could start from this to explain your mother how things are now, don't you think?" Caleb joked.

Hanna laughed again.

"I don't think that's a good idea... If my mother knew I had sex in the college, she'd go crazy!" she added, smiling.

"But it was beautiful, wasn't it?" Caleb teased, rubbing her shoulders.

"Who told the other way around?"

Caleb chuckled again, so he bent down to kiss Hanna's neck.

"Caleb..." she shooted at him.

"I was thinking that... Today... We did so many exceptions to the rule... So... Now that we're at this point... It'd be better to totally break the whole rule... At least for today... Wouldn't be?" Caleb whispered, between kisses.

Hanna smiled, placing a hand through Caleb's hair.

"No..." she whispered in his ear.

Caleb groaned in disappointment.

"I want you, Hanna..." he continued.

Hanna sighed and cupped his face between her hands.

"Caleb... One, we're in a cab; two, I want you too, but what I don't want is you to play the role of the secret guy of mine; and three, we have to be decent to go to my mom's. If everything goes the way it's supposed to go, we can do whatever you want tomorrow..." she said, whispering.

Caleb bited his lip.

"Okay..." he whispered, replacing himself properly on the back of his seat.

"I promise the wait will be worth it..." she added then, winking at him.

Caleb smiled at her, so he grabbed again her hand and he held it.

"You know, about what we were talking about last night, instead..." he continued.

"What?" Hanna played dumb, even though she perfectly knew what Caleb was referring to.

"Our wedding!"

Hanna let go a loud laugh.

"Rivers... No diamond, no wedding. Keep it in your head..." she added, nipping his arm.

Caleb was about to say something, but he was interrupted by the ringtone of Hanna's mobile. She took it from her purse, and she read Dave's name on the display, which was clearly seen by Caleb as well. Hanna sighed and searched for his eyes.

"Pick up." he said, without worry.

Hanna nodded and answered the call.

"Hey..." she started, biting her lip.

"Hanna, I... I need you..." Dave mumbled.

He sounded upset, and Hanna could tell he was crying.

"Dave, what is it? What happened?" Hanna said, a little concerned.

"My dad... My dad, Han..."

Hanna felt the blood freezing in her veins.

"What, Dave?" she continued, not wanting to believe what came up to her mind.

"My dad died."

Hanna sighed, not sure about what she could said. Her eyes started filling with tears, as Caleb looked at her peplexed.

"Where are you?" she just asked then, with trembling voice.

"I'm getting out of the college now... Hanna, I didn't know who to call, I know you're with your mother, but..."

"Don't worry, I'll be there soon..."

"But you don't have to reschedule for me..."

"Are you joking? My mom can wait, and you need me right now, so... So wait for me there, I'm coming, okay?"

"Thank you, Hanna. Thank you with all my heart... I love you, you don't know how much..."

Hanna felt dirty when she heard the love through his pained words. She hung up upset, wiping away a tear.

"What's up?" Caleb asked then, scared.

Hanna sighed, then she told the driver to stop.

"Caleb, Dave needs me. His father died..." she added, turning towards him.

Caleb bited his lip. He rubbed Hanna's wet cheek and nodded, resigned.

"Got it. I'm sorry, really." he murmured, before opening the cab's door.

"Hey..." Hanna said, grabbing his hand before he got out.

Caleb turned around.

"Remember that I love you." she said.

He smiled at her with bitterness, so he closed the door and watched the cab going away, where Hanna was now reaching her boyfriend, to go comforting him. Caleb sighed deeply, as he waited for another cab. He knew that the unlucky event which had just happened in Dave's life would have prolonged the times to stabilize his relationship with Hanna. He knew that she would have been by his side now, that she should have stayed close to him, and it clearly wasn't the right moment to tell him that she was in love with someone else and so she wanted to break up with him. She couldn't have turned her back at him in a moment like that, especially knowing about his fragility and his father's death. Caleb would have beared this nth low blow, he would have kept waiting, but he couldn't hide the fact that all of this was making him badly suffering.

* * *

Hanna hurrily got out of the cab and ran to Dave, sitting outside the college, on the steps. He weakly stood up, and when Hanna approached him, he just opened his arms and held her tight to him. Dave cried silently, shaking, and he hid his face against Hanna's shoulder, as she rubbed his back.

"I'm so sorry, Dave..." she murmured, letting out a few tears as well.

Dave didn't reply, but he kept holding Hanna and crying against the material of her leather jacket. Only after some minutes, he slowly pulled away from the hug and managed to say something.

"Thanks for coming..."

Hanna slightly smiled at him, stretching a hand towards him to wipe away his tears.

"How did it happen?" she murmured then.

"Infarct... In a moment, he wasn't here anymore..."

"You should go home, Dave... Your mother needs you, now like never before..."

"I know, but... I can't, I don't wanna see her broken, and... And I don't wanna see dad like that... I can't do this, Hanna..." he stuttered, restarting trembling.

Hanna held him again.

"Hey, listen to me... Your family really needs you. You're a strong guy, you have to be there for them, and for your father too. You're the man of the house now, got it?" Hanna continued as she hugged him.

Dave nodded weakly, so he returned to look at her in the eyes.

"Come with me?" he added, wiping away a tear.

Hanna sighed.

"I don't feel right about this, Dave. It's a delicate thing, it's right that there will be just you and your family. But call me for anything, okay? Feel free to do it..." she added.

"Yeah, sure. You're right." Dave nodded.

Hanna smiled again at him, so he kissed her on the lips.

"Thank you, Hanna. I don't know how I could without you..." he murmured, before walking to his car.

Hanna sighed again, feeling even more guilty towards him. Her mobile rang again, but this time it was her mother, who was probably wondering where she had ended up.

"Hello?" Hanna picked up.

"So, Hanna? Where are you?"

"Mom, we have to reschedule... Dave's father died..."

"Oh my God... How is he?"

"Not well..."

"Give him an hug for me..."

"He's not with me now, he's gone home. But don't worry, I will."

"Hanna... You were going to break up with him, weren't you?"

Hanna swallowed, taking then a deep breath before answering.

"Yes, I was. Some things happened, and I would have talked to you about it today, but... But I don't feel ready to do it now, not after what happened to Dave."

"Well, I don't know what are these things which happened, but... But he deserves the truth, don't you think?"

"In fact I was about to tell him everything, but... But I really don't think that's opportune to break up with him right now. Not in this moment."

"You have someone else, don't you?"

"Mom, I don't wanna talk about it now, nor by phone..."

"Fine. But you know, I know what means to be cheated on, and it's not a beautiful thing. And I wouldn't wish it to anyone, nor to a nice guy like Dave."

Hanna sighed deeply.

"I know, mom. I know. I have to go now." she concluded, frustrated.

"Sure, let me know when you're gonna come visit me."

"Okay, bye."

Hanna hung up and sat on the steps. And without noticing, she started crying.

She cried because she felt bad. She felt first of all a bitch for what was her situation with Dave, but she also felt like she was in a cage, because she couldn't be with the person whom she actually loved. She was tricking Dave, like her mom had appropriately reminded her too, and she was appeasing her by now clear feelings for Caleb, and both things were making her feel bad, really bad. Bad with herself, with Dave, but also with Caleb, because she perfectly knew that he loved her to death, that he would have waited for her, but that he would surely have gotten hurt hard having to stay watching and waiting, again.

And she would never have wanted to be reason of a pain so big towards people who didn't deserve it at all.

Maybe she should have accepted earlier her love for Caleb, so she would probably have talked earlier to Dave, and now she wouldn't have found herself in a situation so complicated. Maybe she was the one wrong, as always.

* * *

Caleb arrived in front of the NYU with his cab, and he couldn't help but notice Hanna with the head bent on her knees on the college steps. He approached her quiet, until he was by her side and he could place a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" he whispered.

Hanna lifted her head and looked at Caleb with her eyes filled by tears.

"No, I'm not okay at all. But nobody could do anything to make me feel better..." she murmured.

Caleb sighed and sat by her side.

"Caleb, go away." Hanna mumbled then, sniffing.

"Do you really want me to go?"

"Yes, I do. I'm an idiot, I'm good just at making messes, and... I don't deserve all of you to be always after me. Just go away, Caleb, okay?"

"No, it's not okat. You're not an idiot and you're not good just at making messes. And I love you." Caleb replied with decision, searching for her hand.

Hanna shook it off.

"You love me, Caleb? You love me? Why? Why do you love me if I've basically made you sit in the waiting room while I'm doing my things with someone else, huh? I'm treating you like a whatever toy, I... I'm asking you for absurdities, after I've made you suffer every kind of thing for weeks, and... And you love me?" she yelled, with tears falling down her eyes.

Caleb took her face between his hands.

"Yes, I do love you. I love you to death. I love you because you're the best person I know, and if you find yourself in this situation is just because you don't wanna hurt anybody. And this can just be an honorable thing. It's me the one who choose to stay here waiting for you, because I don't want anything but you. And believe me, it's me the one who should ask you why you love a guy like me, after how much I hurt you in the past years, so... Calm down and do what you feel right to do. But you have to know that I love you and I will always love you, so I'm not gonna turn my back at you, got it?"

Hanna sighed and avoided Caleb's gaze, looking to the opposite direction.

"You don't have to pretend to be fine, I know you're suffering because of all this mess..." she said then.

"You don't have to worry about me..."

"Instead I have to, Caleb. This is all my fault..."

"Stop it, okay? I thought we've made clear that it's nobody's fault here... It's right for you to stay close to Dave now. He needs you, and I understand it..."

"What about you? You don't need me?" Hanna replied, returning to look at him in the eyes.

Caleb smiled with bitterness.

"To death." he added honestly, sighing.

"See? See that you feel bad because of me?"

"Hanna, don't worry. I don't want anybody to end up destroyed by this story, neither Dave. He's a person who had serious troubles in his life, and now he's dealing with a very tough moment, so... You're the only one who can help him to get over it. And then, one step per time, you'll tell him how things actually are, and when everything will be fixed, I'll be there, okay? When we will be finally together, you'll see that we won't even remember how much we've suffered in this whole story... Trust me, everything's gonna be okay."

Hanna sighed deeply, wiping away her tears.

"I love you, Caleb, but... I really need to stay alone now." she said then.

He nodded, kissed her on the forehead and got up, slowly walking up the steps which took him inside the college.

* * *

**A/N: Poor babies :( I know, Dave's father chose a really bad moment to pass away :/ Hanna just want to stay with Dave for a few days because he needs her support after what happened... She doesn't love him that way, but she cares of him, so... (I promise the Dave/Hanna break up will happen in a few chapters!) Anyway don't worry, Haleb will be parted for a while, but the next chapter is taking place twenty days after this, so there will be the reunion already :) Glad you guys liked Caleb's "endurance test" of the last chapter by the way haha ;) And guys, seriously, I don't even have words to describe last episode of PLL... HALEB IS BACK OMG :D I was literally screaming when they kissed, but I also liked a lot the way Caleb said "of course" and the way they held hands, and the way they touched each other, just... Awwwww! I missed Haleb so much :') I liked some quotes too... "If you lose them, you'll always have me." by Caleb, and "Caleb's not a mistake. He's the most un-mistaken thing in my life." by Hanna... Just... AWWWW I CAN'T DEAL WITH MY FEELINGS! ...I hate how the girls are ruining their relationship because of that bitch of Ali btw... Anyway... Let me know what do you think of this bitter chapter... I'd love to know :) Thanks for reading as always and I'd be happy to read your reviews ;) Love you guys! xx -Atramea.**


	22. Chapter 22

**_"I love you, I've loved you all along and I forgive you for being away for far too long, so keep breathing 'cause I'm not leaving you anymore."_**

**_[Far Away - Nickelback]_**

For several days, Hanna didn't go to college, being close to Dave, who was actually destroyed because of his father's death. Caleb, instead, kept assisting Norton's classes, without searching for Hanna, thinking that if he did it, he just made things more difficult than they already were. Both of them suffered because of the distance, they were missing each other in an absurd way, but the two knew that it was the only thing possible at the moment.

This went on for about fifteen days; Hanna who spent her days with Dave trying to light his mood, feeling at the same time awfully guilty because soon she would have given him like a stab straight in his stomach, and Caleb who kept sliding presentations for Norton, waiting for Hanna to come back to his classes at least just to see her from far. And he would never have confessed to anyone about the tears he poured for everynight he went to bed without neither seeing nor hearing from Hanna throughout the day.

* * *

_Twenty days later_

After what seemed like an eternity, one night, Hanna, in the bed of her mother's house, to whom she hadn't told anything yet, decided to text Caleb. She had been close to Dave for several days, knowing he needed her support, but all she needed her, instead, was Caleb, and she knew it was the same for him, that he was so in love that he was still there waiting for her. She grabbed her mobile and she referred him her intentions, happy for the fact that soon she could have finally seen him again.

_**Hanna - 11:24 pm;**__ Tomorrow I'm coming back to the college, and I swear I'll talk to Dave in this week. I miss you to death..._

Caleb, in his room at the NYU, couldn't help but smile at the sight of that text. He left his pc, got up from his desk and climbed on the bed with the mobile between his hands.

_**Caleb - 11:25 pm;**__ I miss you to death too... Can't wait to hug you..._

Caleb sent the text and let out a deep sigh. He couldn't deny that he was beyond happy for the fact that, from the following week, Hanna would have been only for him.

Hanna read his reply and smiled. She was really eager to reach the next day even just to see Caleb again, so she decided to go to sleep to make sure the time that was parting her from the tomorrow seemed shorter, even because she felt really tired.

_**Hanna - 11:31 pm; **__Goodnight, see you tomorrow. Love you :)_

_**Caleb - 11:32 pm; **__See you tomorrow... Goodnight, princess. Love you too :)_

So both of them, after weeks, fell asleep smiling. The next day was Wednesday, and Hanna had invited Aria, Spencer and Emily for the weekend, finally decided to talk to them about her and Caleb. They would have come to New York on Friday and they would have stayed with her at her mother's house until Sunday. It was the moment to talk to them and to her mother as well, and Hanna had finally decided to do it.

* * *

The next morning, Hanna entered again in her room 209 hearing weird noises coming from the bathroom. She immediately rushed in it, and she found Brit with her head bent to the toilet, throwing up. Immediately, Hanna went beside her friend and took her hair away from her face, keeping it behind.

"Dammit..." Brit mumbled, upon she was done, standing up as she flushed the toilet.

Hanna stood by her side while she was watching her face. Everytime she saw a girl throwing up, she immediately thought it was bulimia, and the thing still pinched her stomach.

"Brit, what's up?" she said then.

Brit lifted herself from the sink and wiped her face with a towel.

"It's a damn virus... Fever, puke and stomachache. It's been going around here at the NYU for a while by now. I'm like this since three days, Han. Stay away from me if you don't wanna risk to end up like me..." she replied, with a pale face.

"Oh, well... Get back to bed, then... Can I do something for you?" Hanna asked.

"Everything's okay, thanks. You instead, how are you doing? We haven't seen each other in a lifetime!" Brit replied, hinting a smile and getting in bed.

"Kinda fine. You know, after what happened to Dave..."

"Yeah, I heard about it. I'm really sorry... Has he come back to the college too?"

"He'll be back tomorrow, I think."

"And... Caleb?"

Hanna sighed.

"I haven't seen him in more than two weeks by now. I had to stay beside Dave, after what he had to face, also knowing how much he's fragile, and... I mean, I did it because I care of him and he needed me, but... But it wasn't easy not being able to spend some time with Caleb, because he's the person I love. It's time for me to tell Dave the whole truth, and if I've waited until now it's just because I didn't wanna hurt him even more than how much he already was because of his father. But now I can't play with him anymore, and I desperately need Caleb. The moment has come, I guess..."

Brit smiled at her.

"It's nice of you the fact that you're doing everything to make sure nobody got hurt. I think that at this point, though, who has suffered the most is you..." she added, with her voice a bit husky.

"Maybe, but... But it doesn't matter. When I'll finally be able to be with Caleb, I'll really be the happiest girl in the world, and everything will be worth it." Hanna smiled.

"What are you doing still here? You have class with him, don't you?" Brit continued, winking at her.

Hanna smiled again, so she placed her suitcase beside the bed and got out of the room, headed to the classroom where she would have seen again Caleb.

* * *

Caleb entered the classroom with Norton. That day, he was smiling. He knew he would have seen Hanna again, and he immediately scannered the classroom with his eyes, searching for her, but he didn't see her. He was about to pull out his mobile to text her, but he didn't because, from the door he had entered a few istants earlier, bursted anybody but Hanna.

Immediately, their gazes searched and found each other.

Caleb remained displaced by Hanna's indescribable beauty. Her hair loose and smooth on her shoulders, a peach rose mini-dress which perfectly matched her candid skin, the light make-up which exalted those blue eyes which drove his head completely crazy.

And Hanna, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice how much the tie suited to Caleb.

They smiled at each other at the same time, so Hanna took a sit in one of the front lines.

It was a while that Molly wasn't attending Norton's classes, probably because she was upset about how things went with Caleb, or better, she was upset that things with him _didn't_ go at all. In fact, she didn't even retry to search for him in his room or in any other way. Maybe she had given up, for good.

Made sure that Molly wasn't in there that morning either, Hanna 'enjoyed' the class, playing to gazes and smiles with Caleb. The two didn't even waste their time writing their usual provocative texts, because they wanted to look at each other, to smile at each other, to just search for each other like that, after all those days.

When the hour of class ended, Hanna immediately reached the exit, fleetingly passing beside Caleb, placing a note in his pocket, and quickly going away. Caleb smiled as he watched her leaving the classroom, swaying like only she could do, so he helped Norton to tidy things. Upon he was done, he took the note from his pocket and he opened it between his fingers.

_Chemistry area toilets, now. xx -H._

He didn't hold back a large smile and he quickly ran out of the classroom.

* * *

Caleb entered the toilets of the chemistry area running, eager to hold Hanna again. He made sure the entrance of the women's was empty, so he got in.

"Han?" he called, sure that she could have recognized his voice.

One of the many doors opened wide, and Hanna got out of it. Caleb ran to her eagerly, and Hanna pulled him closer by the tie, so he closed the door behind him with a kick.

Neither Caleb nor Hanna, in that moment, thought about anything; no compliments, no rules, no faults, anything at all. They had already sacrificed themselves enough. As soon as they found each other again between those four very small walls, in both of them the instinct prevailed. They hadn't seen each other for twenty days, they hadn't touched each other for twenty days, they hadn't kissed each other for twenty days, but most of all, they hadn't made love to each other for _more_ than twenty days. And repressing their frantic sexual desire, the one in the other's arms, after all that time, in a space so extremely small, was like not drinking in a oasis in the desert.

_Impossible_.

Hanna needed Caleb, Caleb needed Hanna.

Hanna _loved_ Caleb, Caleb _loved_ Hanna.

That reunion was everything but romantic, but they couldn't have been blamed. Caleb grabbed Hanna and lifted her from the floor, then pushed her against the wall, as she spreaded her legs and docked them securely on Caleb's hips, hooking them behind his back. Her hands docked through Caleb's hair, as his ones held her bare thighs, as both of them searched and found each other's mouth. The tongues fought and the hands explored, their bodies heated up impetuosly rubbing against each other, and soon Caleb started having _problems_ in the lower zone of his body. His rough hands grabbed harder the grasp on Hanna's very smooth thighs, and his mouth started letting out something more similar to some wild animal's verses than simple breaths. Hanna mischievously smiled between kisses, feeling Caleb's arousal between her legs. She then pulled away from his lips and looked at him in the eyes.

"Someone's eager..." she murmured, moving her gaze on his jeans' crotch.

"God, Hanna, let's not waste time talking..." he whispered, almost exasperated.

Hanna giggled and slipped his jeans and boxers down enough, but a moment before Caleb could slip into her body, she pushed him back.

"What is it?" Caleb asked, perplexed.

Hanna didn't speak, but she placed one of her hands on her mouth. In a second, she turned pale. Caleb, then, got worried.

"Hanna?" he continued, taking her hands.

Hanna leaned closer to the toilet and started throwing up. Caleb clumsily raised his trousers, so he kept Hanna's hair behind her face. She bent on her knees and went on, and Caleb bent down with her, giving her a kiss on the back of her neck.

"Hey, how are you?" he whispered, upon she was done.

Hanna had remained bent on the toilet, breathing heavily. Throwing up had taken her to times definitely to forget. She had also tears in her eyes.

"Sorry..." she said, slowly standing up.

"Oh please, it's not your fault. I hope it wasn't me the one who sinked too much the tongue..." Caleb smiled.

Hanna laughed and flushed the toilet.

"Your tongue was perfect, don't worry. I think I have the virus which Brit told me about this morning..." she added.

"Which virus?"

"Puke, fever and stomachache. Brit has taken it. It's been going around here at the NYU for a while, and me, with the luck I got, I didn't even come back here that..."

Hanna blocked herself, snorting and delicately rubbing her eyes, paying attention not to ruin her make-up, even though it was already pretty messed up. Caleb smiled and hugged her.

"What can be a stupid virus for a strong girl like you..." he whispered, kissing her temple.

Hanna hugged back, sighing, noticing then the signs of her mascara on Caleb's shirt.

"I have to wash my face and re-apply the make-up, dammit..." Hanna mumbled, pulling away from the hug and opening the door.

Caleb chuckled, and upon Hanna was in front of the sink, he gave a look around himself to check if he could approach her. They were still the women's toilets. Luckily, the coast was clear, so he slowly went behind Hanna, who, after she had washed mouth and face, was now fixing her make-up. He wrapped his arms around her waist and he hid his head through her hair, resting it on one of her shoulders.

"We won't part anymore now, will we? I've really risked to go crazy this time..." he whispered in her ear.

"I promise, Caleb. Believe me, it wasn't nice for me either... I'll make sure it won't happen anymore." she replied smiling.

"I missed you..."

Hanna giggled, keeping staring at the mirror and passing the lipstick on her lips.

"I missed you too..." she added then.

Caleb left his grasp from Hanna's body and pulled away.

"Listen, these are the women's toilets and it's not too careful for me to stay here, so... If you want, come to my room later. I think we've left something halfway..." he added, winking at her and slowly starting walking away.

"I may transmit you the virus, you know?" Hanna smiled.

"Hanna, I guess that we were close enough earlier for the transmission of every kind of virus, don't you think?" he replied, grinning.

Hanna laughed, shaking her head.

"See you later..." she added, winking at him as well.

* * *

Hanna received some calls from Dave, but she didn't answer him. She felt someway guilty, because she hadn't broken up with him yet though, but she was tired to forbid herself what could make her happy. She had finally decided to let herself go with Caleb, even though she wasn't officially available, but she knew that in a very short time she would have _really_ talked to Dave. She needed to stay with Caleb and she couldn't impose herself to wait anymore. She had been correct towards Dave, she hadn't seen Caleb for all those days. She had had to stay beside Dave to help him to get over the family drama and she had done it. Maybe now she deserved a little happiness as well, and her happiness was called Caleb. She couldn't hold off the desire of indulging to him anymore, especially after having spent more than twenty days without being able to look at him either.

So, a few hours after the missed adventure in the toilets, Hanna knocked at Caleb's 319 room, with the same strong desire into her veins. Even though she felt nauseous, luckily she didn't have stomachache and supposedly neither fever. Caleb opened the door smiling, without even asking who it was. He had the shirt wet.

"What's up?" she asked then, entering the room.

"Oh, you'll have to hold yourself off for another few minutes... There's this half-broken pipe in the bathroom, but I've almost fixed everything." Caleb quickly said, pecking her on the lips.

Hanna smiled, looking at him closing the room's door and entering then the bathroom to play the plumber. After all, he had always been a handyman, and he was actually good with the hydraulic stuff. When he had stayed in her basement in Rosewood, he had fixed several of her mother's appliances troubles. So Hanna lied on Caleb's bed, waiting for him to join her.

* * *

"I know I'll sound like a total jerk asking you about this, but... How is Dave?" Caleb said after a few istants, from the bathroom.

He didn't receive any answer.

"Hanna, seriously, I don't want you to restart feeling guilty now and tell me to wait another few days, because I don't think all of this correctness makes sense anymore since all the time we've already waited, don't you think?" he continued.

But Hanna didn't reply. Caleb sighed.

"Fine, let's pretend I haven't said anything." he added, concluding.

He finished fixing the pipe and got up, taking off his soaked shirt, since in a short time he would have had to take it off _anyway_. He placed a rag on the wet floor and turned towards the room, from where, through the open door, he could see Hanna's long legs laying on the lower part of his bed. He walked out of the bathroom, so he found himself in the room and he turned towards the bed, smiling.

"So, where were we?" he started, with a provocative voice.

But Hanna had no reaction. Caleb approached her and saw that she had her eyes closed.

She had fallen asleep.

Caleb chuckled softly, melted by the scene he found in front of him. It wasn't more than five minutes since Hanna had gotten in his room, and she was already sound asleep on his bed. Then, he took a blanket and placed it on Hanna, so he kissed her forehead, noticing it wasn't too warm. And he stayed looking at her sleeping for a while, not peeved at all that their 'thing' was still pending.

* * *

**A/N: Here you go :) First of all, thank you for the reviews of the last chapter... It was kinda tough, so I'm glad you liked it though :) Talking about this, I hope the "reunion" after those twenty days was good enough, along with the scene in the toilets ;) Halebismylife, you make my days with your reviews haha :D seriously, you're really kind and I really appreciate the things you tell me... Don't worry, this story is long exactly 34 chapters, so we have still 12 left :) about "The Healer" I can't say, 'cause I haven't finished writing it yet... Anyway yeah, I think I'll write more Haleb stories when both of these will be over :) My lovely guest, I agree with you, the lyrics of "Pull Me Down" by Mikky Ekko are perfect for Haleb :):) of course I read them! (Can't wait for more Haleb in 5x08 btw!) For the Ashley/Caleb thing don't worry guys, they will meet soon and Ashley will be really important for Caleb at some point in this story... I can't tell you more :P I also promise that Dave and Hanna will break up soon, but I don't think in the way you're expecting them to... Uh-oh! Haha can't tell you more about this either :P So, I'd really appreciate if you guys leave a review for this chapter... I'm curious to know ;) Have a nice day! I'll update ASAP, love you guys! xx -Atramea.**


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